The Looking Glass
by monkeygirl77
Summary: Just when they thought they'd finished, they get drawn into another war, fighting for a goal that is commonly shared. The only problem being that their allies don't trust them, they don't trust the others in return, and parents are getting in the way.
1. Chapter 1

"What do you boys need this time?" it wasn't that he didn't enjoy the two hunters, but he was a busy angel and he had things to attend to, messengers to guide and messages to deliver, that old schtick and all that jazz. Sam shared a look with his older brother, rubbing a hand over his chin, and looked back to the Archangel when he nodded in return to the unspoken question.

"We found something…. Eer…More like _someone_."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the cryptic response to his question, and at the implication that it was something that they had come across and thought that their best course of action was to call on one of them to help them get to the bottom of it.

"What did you find?"

"Well, we're not exactly sure, Cas was pretty tight lipped around the subject, but I don't think he was even too sure. He said that they were powerful, more so then him, but not as much as you guys. We figured you were better suited for the job."

The Archangel nodded once, more serious then he usually like to maintain for himself, motioning for him to lead the way. The hunter shared one more glance with his brother and stepped off, motioning for the archangel to follow from over his shoulder, and led him down to their dungeon.

* * *

"You found a _girl_ and you couldn't handle that?"

Honestly, if he hadn't been so on edge with the introduction, Gabriel may have laughed at the whole ordeal. She didn't look like much, tanned but not too dark, wild dark curls framed her face, what little of it he was able to see as she was looking down at well worn sneakers. They were pushed back with a set of old ruddy looking goggles, she wore a loose leather jacket and a maroon shirt underneath, dark skinny jeans as was the teenager fashion these days and worn black sneakers that had surely seen better days. Leaning against the leg of the chair she sat perched on was an old worn backpack, some pins stuck on the front, from what he could make out were different place she had been before being caught by the Winchesters.

The only thing that stood out was the worn sword that was leaning against the wall next to her, and of course the manacle attaching her foot to the floor, well and truly kept in place.

But what really caught his attention was the pendant she was twirling in her fingers absentmindedly, eyes staring at it clouded over with deep thoughts, and he narrowed his eyes as he tried to place where he had seen it before.

"Where did you find her?"

"In the middle of a bunch of bodies. We tried to find out what had happened. She wouldn't say much. She told Cas about a war though, he wasn't aware of any wars when we asked him about it, and that was all she would say about it."

He nodded, taking in as much of the offered information that he could "Did she slay them?"

"We think so, but we never got her to admit to it."

Gabriel watched her as she pressed her lips to the pendant and went back to twirling it, his mind reeling as he tried to make out where he had seen it before, he knows he has, he recognizes it, but he can't remember where for the life of him. He looked her over closer, eyes narrowing again, when he spotted the premature wings budding under her shoulder blades, the mix of soul and grace that was only seen in one sort of creature.

"I'll see what I can get from her."

"Don't do anything to her."

He sent the hunter an affronted look of offense, "I would never harm a child. Don't ever imply that I would."

Sam held his hands up in a gesture of peace.

* * *

"You've got my friends in quite the pickle here, little lady."

Her shoulders stiffened but she didn't look up, instead she tensed and curled her fingers around the necklace she wore with whitened knuckles, curling further in on herself as she did. He took it in and noted it to memory, but wasn't to be deterred, and turned to his next tactic of interrogation that was held for those he refused to lay harm to in order to get what he wanted.

He pointed to the sword, and managed to catch bright eyes watching him point at it, "Where'd you get it from?"

She stared at the sword for a moment, then slowly turned her eyes to him, they were hidden by a web of curls and thus he didn't get a good look at her features that would identify relations. He shook his head sternly at the lack of reply, don't let anyone ever say that he wasn't good with kids, and pointed at it again. "Why do you have it?"

"One requires a weapon when fighting a war."

Finally, she spoke, her voice was soft, like a light rain over a meadow of flowers. But it filled him with a warmth that he remembers from his fledglinghood. It has the soft echo of a soft clap of thunder, and he takes a breath as his mind slowly starts catching up to him piece by piece.

"What war? You're fighting in a war?"

"A war for peace."

"How is killing ten people fighting for peace."

Finally, he must have struck a chord, and she looked up to meet his gaze completely, his breath caught at her eyes. They glowed, like someone else's he knew, bright blue against the dimness behind her. Her features resembled another's strongly, too strongly to be a coincidence, and he almost lost his train of thought at the awe of it all.

"I did it for the peace of the town."

"So, you admit to killing them?"

"I would do it again."

He tilted his head, pulling the spare chair in the corner over to sit in front of her, she stared at him cautiously as he moved, leaning back in her own chair as though preparing for a strike to follow his sudden motions. When he didn't make any ill-meant movements, she seemed to relax a bit more, but still sat on a hair trigger, evidence of the war she was fighting right under everyone's noses.

"Why'd you do it?"

"They were going to destroy the people. I couldn't let them do that."

"Who are you?"

She looked conflicted for a moment, eyeing him suspiciously, "I don't care to know your name so why know mine?"

"Fine, since we're gonna be shy about it I'll go first, I'm Gabriel." He held a handout for her to shake, but she only looked down at it and returned her gaze to his, and he slowly lowered the offered appendage "Your turn now."

"Iaso. My names Iaso."

"Nice to meet you. You're a Nephilim, aren't you?"

She looked surprised, Iaso clearly didn't expect that sort of question, nor for him to recognize it. She stared at him with wide eyes, her mouth opening slightly in shock "How do you know?"

"I can see your little itty-bitty wings growing in. I'd say by them being so little still that you're not too old. Perhaps a few hundred years old at the most. Who's your parent?"

Iaso shook her head, eyes still wide in surprise, but she had closed her mouth from it laying open agape "What are you? Seeing as you clearly know me."

"I'm an Archangel, sweetheart, The Messenger at your service. You remind me of someone I know."

He gained a shrug and his eyes wandered down to the pendant she had been twirling between her fingers this entire time, and she looked down at it too, holding it close to her chest. He tilted his head as his mind slowly kept on coming to him with the desired thoughts, he recognized that pendant and he was slowly remembering where from-_no way_.

"Mind if I see that."

"Yes."

But he had finally moved, far too fast for her to respond, and pressed two fingers to her forehead. Curls, soft to the touch, brushed over his fingers as she fell forward and her eyes rolled up, breathing evening out and he caught her as she fell forward. Settling her back against the back of the chair she was chained on, he slowly reached for the pendant, he held it in his hand for a moment, staring down at it with mild shock.

Of all the brothers do to such a thing he couldn't believe it was _him_. Did _he _even know? Would _he _even care if he did?

Gabriel slipped the long chain from around her neck, up over her head, and hid it in his pocket as he turned to knock on the warded door to be let out again. Sam closed the door behind him, eyes filled to the brim with questions as to what he was able to find out, but the Archangel kept him waiting for the information a he shook his head in denial to answering them, he had more pressing matters at hand.

"I'll be back."

He didn't give much more of a warning as he merely snapped out, leaving the hunter standing there in mild surprise, and the young Nephilim sleeping soundly in the locked room in front of him.

* * *

"Recognize this?"

He dangled the long necklace by a finger, and the other eyes widened at the surprise of seeing it again, a large dark hand reached up to cradle the pendant in their palm, rubbing a thumb over it in silence.

"Where did you find it?"

"Who did you give it to?"

Bright eyes met his, burning with refined volts of raw energy, a slight tilt to the head in question of the odd request from the younger being.

"A woman in a small South African village. A medicine woman. I gave it to her as a symbol of my love to her. Where did you find it?"

She had surely passed long ago, it had been nearly three hundred years since he had seen her last, and briefly wondered what she had become as time passed.

"I found it on a kid." He dropped the chain into the others palm, nimble fingers curled around the necklace, eyes sparking slightly at the idea that she had found love elsewhere "So she found someone to bare her a child? How would you have it now? That was over three hundred years ago. A descendant perhaps?"

The shorter of the two snorted, "She has wings, Raphael. Small itty-bitty budding wings."

His eyes widened considerably, for once in a long while the Healer was left stunned, unsure as to what he should say.

"_She_?"

Gabriel smiled at his older brother, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder, stepping back again.

"Congrats bro. It's a little baby girl."

Raphael stuttered, and had the circumstances been anything else, the Messenger would have cracked up at making his older brother so speechless. It was heartwarming to know he was so surprised though, giving way to the idea that he had known and hadn't cared despite it being against his personality to do so (they had all changed through the attempted Apocalypse), good to know that he hadn't known and seemed shocked at the announcement.

"I have a-a-a- "

"A kid apparently. Go mama for never telling you. Probably for the best given the world we were living in."

"I have a-a-a-a- "

"Good Dad, Raph, you have a _daughter_. And she's a kick ass fighter too. Killed ten people on her own while apparently fighting some war."

Raphael stared at him with wide eyes that matched the young girls locked up in the panic room down in the bunker under the two Winchester's guard. A slight disapproving shine, perhaps mixed with worry, mixed in with the surprise at the whole turn of events. Gabriel was joyful to see such emotions from his older brother, it meant he cared for her, even if he had never met her.

"I have a _daughter _who has killed _ten people _fighting in a heated _war_."

"Yep." Honestly, he was sure what to say to that inquiry "Wanna meet her?"

* * *

Sam Winchester was surprised at the sudden return of the Messenger, with the stunned Healer in tow, and they both demanded to be let back into the panic room down in dungeons. He couldn't really deny them their request and led them down to the lower level, silently uncinching the lock, and pulled the door open.

Raphael stood in the doorway, staring in shock at the young lady that sat back in the chair, her head leaning back as her chest rose and fell with the soft motions of slumber. He was nervous to enter, and his brother coaxed him with a slight shove to his lower back, forcing him forward.

She was small, not too much so, her mother had been on the smaller side too. There was no denying she was hers, his beloved Iona, she had her jaw line. The rounded little nose. The almond shaped eyes. She had his curls, and from what his brother had said, she had his eyes. And he couldn't miss the budding wings growing under her shoulder blades. He couldn't stop the pride from swelling in his chest at the sight of her.

This was his _daughter_.

He took in her appearance and clicked his tongue once in disapproval, "Is she homeless? She does not look well cared for. Do you know if she has a place to stay? How did she come about having a sword?"

"Wow. Raph. You've known of her existence for, like, maybe shy of ten minutes and your already being all _'protective-daddy-mode' _its weird but suits you older brother."

The older archangel ignored his younger brother, stepping further into the room, coming to kneel in front of her in silence. He reached a cautious hand out and caressed her cheek softly, his grace touched her mind softly, and she took a deep breath with the waking from a well deepened slumber. Her eyes slowly blinked open, and looked first to the large hand caressing her cheek with a gentleness she hadn't seen from anyone but her mother and what she had heard from the stories she'd been told that her father was also known to have, then to the eyes that matched her own and her breath caught in her throat.

He smiled at her, a soft timid smile, as if unsure on whether or not he was allowed to.

"My _daughter_."

"_Dad?_"

He nodded to her, a thumb rubbing over her cheek softly, "Yes. I am your father."

"Where _were_ you? Why did you _never_ come?"

"Your mother never told me about you. I loved her with all my heart. If I had known I would never have left your side."

She stared at him for a long moment, unsure of him at first, but the sincerity in his voice cleared any doubts that dared darkened her thoughts. He stared right back, hand still holding her cheek, neither sure what to do next. He was clearly not used to having a kid and she was just unused to having a father in her life. Neither knew the other but at the same time it was as though they had their entire lives.

"You swear. You swear you would have comeback?"

"With my being. What is your name, little one?"

She licked her lips lightly, "Iaso. My name is Iaso."

"Iaso, a goddess of Cures and Healing, your mother had an ironic sense of humor. My daughter _Iaso_. My little _Iaso_."

"What's your name?", he smiled at her again "My name is Raphael, little Iaso."

"And you're my dad?"

"Yes. You have my eyes. They shine with their own light. Breathtaking to see."

Iaso stared at the man in front of her, she had never met him in person, but her mom used to tell her stories of him. What he had been like, how his smile was, how gentle he had been, how in love they had been. Always good things. There wasn't much bad to be shared, the worst being when he had to leave, but almost always good things. She had never met him but felt as though she knew him all her life.

Gabriel watched in awe as his brother got more from her in the short minutes, they had been together over the twenty it had taken him, the whole thing was all sorts of unfair, and he would claim paternal power until his last breath.

The young woman slowly leaned forward, curling her arms around his neck, and she felt his arms hesitantly wrap around her in return.

* * *

"So, do they lock everyone up in there dungeon or am I just that special?"

Having the warmth of a newfound father against her back was comforting, and though she was strong without him and didn't require him to stand behind her as a sentry, it was still comforting that he would. The two hunters and their angel friend, the ones that had knocked her over the head and taken her with them, stood in front of her. The older of the two finished polishing his firearm and put it back together again, as though he was trying to intimidate her, it didn't have the desired effect, and she gave him a dull look to convey this.

"Nope.", he leaned back in his chair, "Only the ones who kill ten people."

"I didn't kill _people._ And you had no right to step in when you did."

"Sure, looked like we did. There are people who are dead because of you. We usually gank those who kill others."

"Again, I didn't kill anyone, not innocent anyway.", she set her backpack down and flipped open the top, they watched her closely as she did, and she pulled out a leather wrapped book. It was small and worn, the ends fraying slightly, and she held it out for the taller one on the other side. The one who had inadvertently let her meet her dad for the first time.

"They're called outsiders."

He looked at her in confusion as he unwound the leather strip keeping it sealed and opened the book to reveal the old script on the inside, it was a fancy swirling script, handwritten, and his eyes widened in surprise as he glanced from one page to another. Dean read over his left, Castiel over his right, and the seraph eyed the teenager carefully.

"You are a Nephilim."

"What gave it away?" her curls bounced as she tilted her head to the side "So are they."

A warm hand settled on her shoulder and she turned to follow it up to meet the eyes of her dad.

"Is this to do with this war you are fighting in?"

She nodded at him, and then to her newfound uncle, before turning back to the two hunters and the other one. Iaso wasn't fond of the other angel, she wasn't fond of most foot soldiers, but this was the one who had bashed her over the back of the head with the back side of his blade.

Sam turned a page over in her book and his eyes didn't close in the slightest, remaining just as wide as they had been at first sight of the old-fashioned writing, as they skimmed across the page taking in the knowledge that was being offered.

"Tell us about this war?"

Iaso looked over at her dad again, the look of concern shining in his eyes, and she nodded again despite herself.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"From the beginning."

* * *

**AN: I figured that I always give them sons, why not do a girl this time, how does having a daughter change everything for the Heavenly family? What kind of father will Raphael be? Will Iaso accept him as her father? Whats this mysterious war theres talk of?**


	2. Chapter 2

They sat around the table in the library, archangels and Nephilim on one side, Winchesters and Seraph on the other, and Iaso seemed to be debating internally on where the tale should actually begin. She squinted slightly and nodded, seeming to come to her place, glancing down at her backpack next to her foot.

"They found me and a few others nearly two hundred years ago."

Raphael looked decidedly guilty at that and beside him his brother squeezed his shoulder in comfort, had he known Iona had been with child all those years ago he wouldn't have left her with merely a token to remember him by before making his leave.

"We all lived together. We looked out for ourselves and the younger ones. And then the faction split."

She looked between the two sitting at her side and then back to the two hunters.

"They did not like the way we were treated in the human world, hunters come after us for merely existing, just another monster to cross off their hit list."

Sam looked down at his crossed hands, feeling something akin to guilt settle in his stomach, and next to him his brother nodded in agreement to her. There was only two things in the world; the good and the bad. Humans were good. Monsters were bad.

Iaso glared at the older hunter "We're not, by the way, _hunter_."

Dean glared right back at the teenager "When you kill innocent lives you are."

"We never mean for humans to come between us but sometimes it is unavoidable."

"And that's why we hunt you back."

She shook her head, looking ready to rise from her chair in defense of her own kind, but a large dark hand settled warmly on her shoulder.

"No you hunt us because you don't understand us. All you see is black and white. You don't kill the bad and save the good, you are so close-minded hunter, the world is full of shades of gray. There are just as many bad humans as there are good creatures. But when you refuse to give someone the benefit of chance then they become what they are imagined to be."

"And what do you imagine yourself to be?"

Dean was pushing it, he knew it, but there was a point to be proven here. Castiel nodded in agreement from beside him, fingers curled around his blade in the inner pocket of his trench coat, there had been a reason that the Nephilim had been cleansed from the earth. They were destructive creatures, relishing in the destruction they could cause, and were more along the chances of destroying another then befriending them, because that was just how they were.

"I would kill you without hesitation if you stood with them."

The hunter waved a hand in her direction and turned to his younger brother with an expression of _'I told you so_'. But Sam Winchester was loath to say he agreed. He had seen for himself to good that some creatures could be, his old childhood friend Amy Pond coming to mind, and he briefly wondered what had become of her son. The Nephilim wasn't necessarily innocent but the points that she made were valid ones.

"No, Dean, she's right."

"Sam! How can you-"

"Amy Pond, Dean, Amy Pond was not evil."

"She was killing people."

"For her son. Her son was sick. She was helping her family."

"She was a monster!"

"So is your friend here." They fell silent at her interruption and their argument was put on hold for a moment, neither Archangel looked as though they were intending to stop her, not that would be able to if they tried. She had every right to speak her mind, and no one, not even a knew found father, would take that right away from her. "Your friend, Cassarole?, he has innocent blood on his hands. He's killed humans, angels, everyone you can imagine, and yet you let him live? Why?"

"He did it for the greater good."

"No. He did it because he thought he needed to. He did it because it would help you. Why is that okay, but another doing the same thing not, what gives you the right to play judge and executioner? My kind may be killing each other but at least we do it with _honor_."

…

When threatened with bodily injury, much to Gabriel's amusement, at the idea of putting his daughter back in that dungeon underneath them, a room had been made up for her across the hall from her uncles. Iaso had accepted it from the tall hunter shyly, she did not like the older one, but the younger one seemed to understand where she was coming from, thus he had honor too.

She sat in the middle of the bed, legs crossed under her, and her backpack just before her, lost in her own thoughts when a knock at the door pulled her back to the present.

"Come in?"

The door opened just a crack and her father poked his head in, "May I join you?", he entered and closed the door behind him, just as she had it before he came to see her. He had a child that he knew nothing about, it broke his heart to know that she had been so alone for so long, that she had to face the world on her own since the passing of her mother. Raphael sat on the edge of the bed, silently, neither were sure what it was like to have the other and an awkward silence fell between them for a moment.

"Would you have really come?"

Her voice was small, so small, unlike it had been when she had confronted the hunter with her differing opinion. It surprised him for a moment, and he turned to look at her from where he sat, and gave an assuring nod.

"Had I known, I would have never left, despite how she urged me to.", he smiled at her softly, "I have a daughter and it breaks my heart that I know nothing about her."

"We could…", she curled in on herself even more "I don't know….Talk…No that's weird…." But her dad nodded, and thus they ended up sitting face to face, her not moving from the position she had already taken on her new bed, and he taking up something similar across from her.

"What was your childhood like?"

Iaso smiled, seeming to drift back into memories, "It was fun. I ran around our village all day. Mom let me paint myself for our festivals. I got into all sorts of trouble. She talked about you, a lot, said that you were the one good thing she had, until I came along obviously. She named me after you. She said that you healed people and that's what my name means.", she nodded towards him "What do you do?"

He chuckled, but nodded, "I am as you said, a Healer, _The _Healer of Heaven. I treat all the wounded, the ill, I protect those on earth as well. Patron to doctors and those in the medical field. Help them discover their cures and procedures. What do you enjoy in your free time?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "Nothing much, my times pretty filled, but I like to write. Sometimes I draw. I have a book in my backpack. I can show you some time. Do I have any more uncles?"

"You have hundreds" he smiled when her eyes widened "But only three direct kin to you. You've met Gabriel already; energetic and humorous. Then there is Michael; a Warrior through and through, but the gentlest angel you would ever meet. Of course then there's Lucifer, though fallen he may be, he will forever be an archangel, thus your uncle. I hope that you get the opportunity to meet them one day. I am sure they would like to meet you. What is your favorite color?"

"Green.", she tilted her head at his soft chuckle "What?"

"Green? My wings are green, emerald to be precise, it is my aura."

"Really?"

He nodded and she laughed softly, it was a soft sound, likes a windchime in a gently breeze, and it made his heart warm slightly.

She calmed down after a moment "Have you ever had a kid before?"

"No. Have you ever had a father before?"

"No. But I am happy to have one now."

"Indeed."

Gabriel came to check on them a few hours later when neither made another reappearance, opening to door slightly with a hand, he peeked inside, the lights had been turned off save for a lamp on the bedside table and he smiled when it illuminated the two bodies on the bed. His niece was curled up against the pillows, his brother laying across the bottom of the bed, her socked feet resting across his stomach.

…

The Healer had to leave the following morning, to return to his duties in Heaven, but made the Nephilim swear to call for him if he was needed and to keep her uncle informed on her whereabouts at all times, there was clearly some adjustment still to be made here but they were making good progress, as was the way when one had already grown up with a parent, despite being on their own for so long they knew not to disobey a clear order when given one.

Before he had gone, the Healer had refastened the ornament around his daughters neck, brushing her curls down fondly as he did so. He had blessed it with his grace, it would grant her protection if she ever found herself in need of it, and had sworn to always be watching and listening if she were to need his help.

It was not something she took willingly and he had been quick to dismiss the notion that he thought her incapable of handling her own, quite the opposite, it was an offer and she as happy to except the offer as it stood.

And so, despite any reservations against the others, she sat at her uncles side at the war room table preparing to let them all in on the War of the Nephilim.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I'm back ya'll! I got some direction for this piece here! I try and write chapters ahead of time to keep up, so I'm sorry for the slow posting frames! **

**Cutecookielove: I always imagined him having a daughter too! I usually do boys cause I don't wanna make the girls too girly, you know? But him having a daughter is a fun spin to try! They're going to bond so much, they both have so much to learn about each other, what its like having a daughter and a father. **

**Guest: I KNOWWWW!**

**Robin0203: Hahaha I know that feeling on a personal level, dood! I'm either working, doing projects for people, or writing, and sometimes in that particular order too! **

**…**

As they made their way to the warehouse that she was meant to meet up with the others at, her thoughts ventured back to her father, it was still a new topic to be investigated. She didn't know what it was like to have a parent that she wouldn't outlive, that she wouldn't have to watch grow old and die while she herself stayed in the same state of progression. She loved her mom, and missed her dearly, but having a dad that could live with her forever, for however long she lived, was something she would hold onto dearly.

It meant she wasn't alone anymore.

She had somewhere she belonged, there was an uncle at her left shoulder waiting and watched for any threat to come their way, she had another, one she wasn't so fond of, hanging over the other shoulder. She despised him, and his humans, and everything they stood for. If any outsiders decided to come after those three, she may just look the other way for a bit before intervening, they thought they were the worst things out there and needed to be knocked down a few pegs and she knew that the enemy they shared would do so.

Iaso came to a sudden stop, her uncle on the left stopping in time with her, she could hear the grip on his blade tightening as he prepared himself for battle, and the ones on her right stumbled rather noisily, in her opinion. But then her hearing was better then the average humans, courtesy of the _archangel _blood running through her veins.

"What do you hear?" her uncles voice was right up against her ear, she could feel every breath he took, having stepped up to ghost her side, and she shook her head, pointing towards a shadowed corner of the far door.

"Hey, abomination!"

She could feel the surprise coming from her archangelic uncle at her call, and the tension return as another stepped out from the shadows she had pointed at, another girl, shorter then the Messenger, dark pixie hair with deep purple tips. Her eyes were sharp though, not from attitude, but from the way they shined against their dim surroundings. There was a similar rucksack hanging from her shoulders, and a beanie completed the who look she was going for, with the ankle cut skinny jeans, high top sneakers, and layered shirts.

"Who are you calling an abomination, _abomination_?"

Iaso laughed and ran forward, leaving her entourage behind her, and they met in the middle in a hug. A hug as those who were friends for nearly as long as one could remember hugged. They laughed and gushed at each other, holding their arms in a vice grip as words sped from their lips.

She nearly forgot about the others standing there, catching up with her longest friend, until her uncle cleared his throat and she looked over her shoulder. He raised his eye brows and spread his arms as if to say _'What gives? Who this?'_ and Iaso laughed.

Her laugh was so much like her fathers was, a rumbling thunder over a clear plain, just before the storm hit. It was soft and deep, from the belly, and her curls shook with it by pure force.

"Sorry!" the Healer's daughter tugged her friend with her as she came to stand at his side again, he looked between the two of them curiously, her friend was on edge at a moments pass. She knew he was an angel, and a high ranking one with the number of wings he had, all Nephilim could see in that plain they were kept in, and one day where they themselves would keep them if they lived long enough to grow them in.

"Uncle, this is Ava." The dark toned teenager waved at her friend, whose eyes had gone wide at the monikor and turned to stare at her friend in disbelief, "_Uncle?"_

Iaso hopped a bit, so much unlike the put together young lady at the bunker, this was the first time Gabriel saw her act like the teenager that she was, and he hoped it wouldn't be the last time, and that his brother would get to see it too one day.

"Ava, this is my uncle, Gabriel."

"_Gabriel!"_

"That's me toots, pleasure to meetcha!"

Ava ignored him though, staring at her friend in surprise, "You uncle is an _archangel_!" Iaso nodded, smiling at her amused uncle and then back to her friend, "I met my dad."

"You met your _dad!"_

_"I met my dad!"_

Ava was no idiot, she pieced it together immediately, all Nephilim knew of the celestial family. It was taught to them by the elders of their clans from their very first meeting, they grew under their tutelage, or until the few were lucky enough to be taken under wing of their angelic parent, but that was extremely rare.

"If your uncle is an…That means.."

"My dad's _Raphael!"_

"Your dads an _archangel!"_

_"I know!"_

Gabriel couldn't help it, he laughed, laughed at the pair of them. They stopped gushing to look over at him at the sound of his laughter, and it only made him laugh harder, Iaso crossed her arms and her friend planted her hands on her waist.

It didn't help his laughter.

He did stop laughing when a piece of static from his shirt zapped him on the hand, though, and he looked up to curse his older brother.

…

They walked together from then on, the newest member of their group grilling the archangel with questions, and in return he grilled with his own. He learned a number of things about her; her dad had been a Choir Angel under his older brother, she'd been on her own since she was three, she'd met her dad only once, she'd met his niece when they were both eight years old, or the equivalent in human years and they'd been friends ever since.

She learned that he himself had never fathered any kids, despite his extracurricular activities, but some of his Principalities did, and he knew from the way they shined a golden hue when he ran across one. He tried to bless everyone he ran into, as far in between as it was, but never thought it his place to step in and greet them, despite his wanting to.

Iaso stopped them again, sword held in a tight fist, holding her hand up for them. There was something just ahead, and they fell into ranks; Gabriel at her right, Ava her left, and the others to bring up the rear.

Three beings came walking around the corner, dressed in black and laughing at a joke that they were clearly not privy to, their own weapons stained red with dripping blood. Whether it be human or Nephilim, the Messenger wasn't sure, but he tensed in time with the two beside him.

"Hey!" Iaso lowered herself into a fighting stance he had seen his brothers Powers take to using "_Abomination!"_

He was quick in realizing that there was two connotations to that word, one was a meaning of playful greeting among friends, and the other was meant as an insult to the highest degree, it just mattered in which tone of voice it was spoken with. Clearly, this time, it was meant to be taken as an insult. Three heads snapped up to meet them, snarls overtaking their features, and the Nephilim rushed each other.

Gabriel stood back and watched for a moment, despite what his brother may say later, to watch the pair of them fight their enemy. Iaso was indeed skilled with her sword, swinging and hacking and jabbing with the ease of someone who had practiced their craft for a long _long _time. Her friend, Ava, stayed behind, producing a bow and arrows from somewhere, they hold on their grace and the other dimension was rather impressive, and was shooting with alarming accuracy.

But his niece was still suffering a concussion from the blow from the seraph's own blade and was on her back in short time, another nasty blow to the head dazing her, and he saw her eyes go cloudy from a further set concussion. It was in that moment that he chose to make his official entrance, merely appearing before his downed niece, three sets of golden wings flared brilliantly behind him, eyes glowing bright with his grace as he pulled on it like a child does a putty they'd play with.

They scrambled back at the sight of him, he resisted the urge to shiver when he felt delicately small fingers curl into the feathers of his lowest wing, "You _dare_ harm what's _mine_?" they know an archangel when they see one and they make quick in backing away from him, eyeing the situation in growing horror, "Well, aren't you two lucky that I'm just the _uncle _and not the _father_." He lets them run off, let them return to their base, wherever that may be, to report back that this side had archangels on their role call now.

Once they were out of sight, he turns to his niece, frowned as he kneels, she's blinking as though trying to clear her head, "Let's head back, we can call your dad, he'll make sure its nothing too bad."

She nods, faintly, going a bit pale in the face, "That sounds like a good plan."

"I'm not leaving her."

He stands, helping his niece to her feet, and hip checks her friend playfully, "You can come to, Robin Hood."

…

**AN: We're meeting all sorts of Nephilim here guys! The Winchesters and castiel will make appearances in passing and by mention only, this is a story focusing on the angel fam, specifically the archangel fam, and those they adopt into their fold! How's Raph gonna be as a parent though? And how will Mike and Luce react to meeting their niece? **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I'm back dogs! I've decided that I'm going to try and write out chapters in advance and post them from there, so my updates might become a bit delayed. Especially with the holidays coming up, I've got a number of projects that I'm working on for the holidays for family members so I may be a bit slow for a while! Please hang with me! I try to update every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for sure!**

**Reviews:**

**Cutecookielove: hahaha it's a slow build fluff man, but there's gonna be moments, I swear! Don't be sad! More fam fluff is coming up, and not just for Iaso either, it's gonna be a great fill for your fluff need! Yea, no, we're definitely on the same page, there is a too big a shortage on angel fam centric stories so I try and focus mine on that to make up for it! They all hate the Winchesters but put up with them because of their Father being 'friends' with them. Hahahah I'm trying to keep them from being too stereotypical! I promise! Yea, no Raph's gonna be a great dad, but theres definitely going to be some mistakes along the way because he's new to this. They're both going to have some problems at first because she hasn't had a dad and he hasn't had a daughter before.**

**Robin0203: he is definitely a worry wart! He's going to being thinking of her so much while he's stuck doing his duties in Heaven!**

**Bluestar322: HAHA I love you very much! Hope that didn't come off as creepy….lol! thanks for the review! I'm glad that you love it!**

**And without further ado, chapter 4!**

**…**

He debated hard on how he should break the matter to his brothers, they had the right to know that they were uncles to a young niece, but with all the rebuilding happening around them after the war that had been fought at their urging and command there never seemed to be an opportune time to bring the matter up. He did not want to tell them, and they be so distracted that it went in one ear and out the other, no in a position that the news shock them into suddenness and they drop whatever they were doing.

The Healer was lost in his thoughts on the matter, not hearing the question that was being directed to him by his oldest brother, leading the Virtue Captain at his side to elbow him sharply in the side to draw him from his thoughts.

_"I have a daughter."_

He cursed himself for his lack of tact, grimacing as the matter was brought out so suddenly, and chanced a look at the others around him.

His oldest brother, Michael, was staring at him in surprise. His mouth hanging slightly ajar at the question he had been preparing to resubmit in amusement to his younger brother's distraction from the present moment. His own captain, the famed mighty Power, stood at his left with wide eyes.

His second oldest brother, Lucifer, stared at him in similar way that his oldest brother did, a hand curled over the lower half of his face in surprise. His captain, Semyaza, nodded in amusement that one of their highest-ranking archangels would have done such a deed with a mortal when it was them who had upheld the command of the flood to wash out their own children. It hadn't stopped them from siring more, especially after their fall from Heaven, he himself had a daughter and a son presently.

Oren was staring at him with his mouth agape at the suddenness of the admission.

"You have….You?"

Raphael nodded, grimacing again at the stiffness in the action, "A daughter. Her name is Iaso."

His oldest brother recovered quicker then the rest did, his eyes still wide, his previous question forgotten in the turmoil of discovering he had a little niece to watch out for.

"I have a niece?"

"Yes." He rolled his shoulders, "She is about 316 years old, is fighting a war, and is so much like her mother."

His second oldest brother recovers soon after, crossing his arms tightly over his chest, "Did you love this human, brother?"

"I did. I had not known that she had been conceived." He glared at them all dangerously, "You will _not _harm her."

"Harm her?" his oldest brother seems confused, "I'd be more inclined to meet my niece then to harm her." He turned to share a look with his captain, "She is fighting a war?"

Lucifer nodded at the same moment the question was asked, including his own personal curiosity to the inquiry made, the Power stood up a bit straighter as he to awaited the answer, the Virtue at his side doing much of the same. Any kin of the Healer was kin of theirs, especially so if it be one of the four commanders, and thus it was their duties to protect their commanders and, despite how odd the situation was, any direct kin of theirs.

Raphael nodded, rubbing his chin wearily, "Apparently, there was a split in Nephilim factions, the two sides are opposed to their practice, one protecting peace and the other inciting chaos."

The Grigori shuffled on his feet, looking down to the stone flooring under him, his mind wondering what his children had chosen to fight for. He would like to think that he had raised them with enough respect to maintaining peace that they would be on the supposed _'good' _side of this battle among their own kind.

"We shall intervene immediately then." Michael nodding in confirmation to his captain, the other following suit in quick succession, "Aid our kin in whatever hardship they currently face as best as we can."

He seemed confused by the grimace he received, having thought that his brother would have been on board with the idea, "They do not accept help from outside forces."

"Then we shall _offer _it."

Their meeting was interrupted by the Messenger, appearing in a flurry of feathers, and tugging on the Healers arm as words escaped him a mile a minute.

…

Dean Winchester seemed to be against the idea of having another come into their sanctum, but Gabriel was not leaving his niece on her own on the possibility that she may be harmed, and he thought those thoughts as he sent a glare in the seraph's direction. Castiel seemed confused at his hostility, and he knew for fact that his brother was only playing nice with the one that had killed him for his own daughters wellbeing, the Messenger briefly wondered how 'daddy's newfound little girl' would take the news that the one that had bashed her over the head had also splatted papa's guts all over the wall without a care in the world.

So, Dean Winchester's protests went ignored by the higher power in their little powwow as he lead his niece and her friend down the winding stares into the library in the main area of the Bunker. The archangel carefully guided the Nephilim of his brother into a chair, her friend stepping up behind her shoulder as though to stand sentry while the other was otherwise preoccupied.

"Who bashed you in the head, girl?"

Iaso glared, ignoring the headache that was forming behind her eyes, her heated gaze locked on the Seraph that watched their every move as though they themselves were the threat, and she rolled her eyes despite the ache that the action brought.

"Cassarole."

"His name," Dean Winchester stood behind him, "is _Castiel._"

"Was there anything in my expression that gave the inclination that I cared?"

Her friend crossed her arms, quirking one hip to the side, and gave the angel the stink eye as best as one her size could, and both Nephilim ignored the hunter entirely beyond that point. Gabriel had dismissed himself, with a parting quip of '_play nice children'_, to call on his brother and talk him down when news reached him that his only child, his only _newfound _child, had been harmed by the hand of someone he only humored to please their oldest brother, Father, and to maintain the peace that was being rebuilt between their family.

Ava and Iaso fell into light conversation, a conversation of catching up on things missed, and Sam used this as his moment to gather as much information about this foe that they shared as he could, the more they had to work with, the better results that could be had. He took notes, behind them where he had taken a seat at the table, anything that seemed relevant to their situation.

They were call _'Outcasts'_ among the Nephilim race, from what he gathered in their conversation, and they reveled in the destruction they could cause, and if it meant that innocent lives were caught in the crossfire then they counted that as a bonus to their winning of the game. They had been fighting one another, the two factions, since the late 1800s when the split had occurred. One side fighting to protect the innocents of the world and keep order maintaining the chaos, the circle of life's way, and the other whose only goal was to cause as much destruction as they could, take as many souls with them that they could possibly take.

It was in that moment that they seemed to notice that their soft conversation was being eavesdropped on and they switched it up, throwing his hopes of gaining any further information on the matter, and they smiled to each other knowingly.

"I knew something was wrong the moment I'd laid my eyes on you," a deep voice cut off their conversation, and they all turned to see the two men returning, Ava did a double take between her friend and the newest arrival. They shared the same complexion, the same eyes, the same smile, the same curls, even that little golden band that was curled around the upper edge of their right ear. "In my shock at the revelation that I'd fathered a child I allowed my emotions to overcome my better judgement." Iaso spared a glance over her shoulder, a smile curling upwards, to her friend and mouthed a simple _'My dad'._ The other spared the girl over the others shoulder a glance, but at the moment his attentions were directed to the one in the chair, and he knelt before her.

"What ails you, my little one?"

"I have a bad headache." He nodded, looking over his shoulder for the other archangel, his daughter was as strong willed as they came, and he needed as much information as he could gather to give the appropriate diagnoses. "Gabriel?"

"She's been a bit wobbly in her motions, especially during the brief altercation we had today, and from what I've been told by moose here, she did get knocked unconscious during their meeting."

He hummed, nodding more so to himself then anyone else, "Just as I thought," he pat her cheek lightly and Iaso smiled at the warmth in his hand, "You have a concussion. No strenuous activity for at least a week. Rest, but allow yourself to be woken at certain intervals for checking, it should clear up on its own just fine." He smiled at her, curling his long fingers around her cheek, and she returned the smile in kind as she leaned against his hand, "Thanks dad."

Ava jumped slightly, ignoring the amusement from the other archangel standing behind the taller one, and finally those eyes turned to look up at her. He stood back to his full height, Iaso following, and she barely met the halfway point between his elbow and his shoulder, she leaned against him and he allowed it.

"And, who might you be, small one?"

"I'm not short!"

She cursed herself for that being the first thing she'd said to one of the elder archangels, grumbling to herself as she smacked her palm to her forehead, but he seemed amused by it and chuckled warmly.

"My apologies, let me amend, who might you be _young _one?"

She licked her lips nervously, "Ava. My names Ava." She stepped forward curiously, "Are you _really_?"

"Really _what_, young one?"

Ava nodded her head towards her friend, "Her _dad_?"

He chuckled again, turning to look down his right side to the short teenager leaning against him, pressing a hand into her wild curls, "I am." She smiled and leaned in closer, sharing the same smile with him, and he turned his direction back to her friend, "Tell me, who is your parent?" The other Nephilim became shy so suddenly, it was concerning, and he was quick to assert "There is no judgement, little one, most certainly not from me."

"My dad is Thaddeus."

When his eyes went wide, she was quick to add on, not wanting this first impression to turn sour just by admission of who her parent was.

"But I'm _nothing _like him!" she shook her head "I've _heard _stories and they're all so horrible." She seemed nervous now, and he could see it, hear it in her increase of heartbeat and the way her breathing hitched every second breath, "I _love _people! I would never hurt them!"

"Calm, young one, I told you there was no judgement." He stepped forward to caress her cheek lightly, "Take a deep breath." She seemed surprised at how gentle someone so powerful could be, and that he, of all persons, was touching her at her horrid admission, but she took a deep breath as instructed, "And release." She felt her nerves loosen as she did, her mind calming down from her admission and the way his eyes had widened, and he rubbed her cheek with his thumb before stepping back again.

"We cannot chose who we are born to. But we do choose where our family lays." He hummed softly, "I'll take it he's never claimed you."

Ava shook her head, looking down to her scuffed sneakered feet, and he chuckled deeply in his chest, "Do you know that even we believe in _'adoption', _though perhaps not in the sense that the humans do because we outlive them by so much time, but fledglings can be chosen by a guardian when theirs is unfit for them." He smiled to her when she looked back up to meet his eyes, "I happen to know that there are a few who would be happy to claim you, if only given the chance to have met you."

He curled an arm around his daughter's shoulders, "Come, lets get you to bed, the more rest one can get with a concussion brings the best results." The archangel turns them in the direction of the hall, quickly calling over his shoulder, "You too, young Ava, your war can wait for a good night's rest."

He led them down the hall towards the room that had been claimed as hers, as he was not going to have his daughter living somewhere unsafe, and while he loath to have her here with _Castiel _standing over her shoulder and would much rather have her up in Heaven where he may protect her from the evil in the world, he knew that she would never allow it, not yet perhaps, and it was not yet safe to have her there with the rebuilding they were doing, but he trusted her wellbeing in the hands of his younger brother, Gabriel, who had taken a liking to hanging around these ones in question.

With the door opened, he gestured them in, "I will leave you for a moment to chan—"

"I don't have any other clothes."

The archangel pat her cheek fondly, "I would be shamed if my power was so limited as to not provide you with clothing."

She smiled at him and nodded, turning to speak to her friend as he closed the door behind him, he sighed and rubbed at his temple as the Messenger joined him.

"They want to meet her, don't they?"

He nodded, "They do." The older archangel turned to look at the younger "And they want to _offer _their assistance."

"Because teenagers are too prideful to take it otherwise?"

The Healer chuckled, "Precisely." They both shared an amused glance, waiting patiently for the door to open again with the young woman inside, they turned to look when the door opened. The Messenger elbowed his older brother in the side at his choice of color in clothing. Iaso smiled at them, her curls done up in two buns on her head, in a set of emerald green short pajamas, her friend wore a simple jersey and shorts.

"Dad, are these _silk_?"

He hummed, "You are the child of an _archangel _who has fine taste." He pointed a finger at Ava when she snorted.

"Come, to bed, both of you."

They _allowed _the Healer to guide them to the large bed pushed against the far wall, and he sat on the edge as he tucked them in, Iaso smiled at him, "We're not little anymore."

"I never got to do so when you were young, so humor me, just this once."

"Just this once, then."

He smiled at her, "Thank you."

…

**AN: Ahhhhh the fluff is so great! Iaso and Ava are going to be in the bunker for a while until she heals from her concussion. THADDEUS HAD A KID AAAAHHHHHHH! Lol at the way Raph just blurts out that he has a kid in front of everyone! **

**What ya'll think of Ava, she's gonna be around for a while too, she's a bit fun to write for! It's hard to believe that someone like her could be the child of someone like ****_him_****. Angelic adoption though? Catching any drifts here? *wink wink***


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: We're getting some development here people! Introducing some characters to new faces! Gaining some insight into certain issues, all is well! I hope my girls aren't being too ****_mary-sue _****because that is my worst fear for this story! Please let me know if they do so I can fix it immediately! The wars sort of going to fall on the backburner for a bit, at least, for Iaso it is because of her being on strict ordered light duty for the time being, but Ava will most certainly keep us going in it, it'll be a bit of a slow start because of establishing relationship and stuff, but it's gonna get heavy!**

**Reviews: **

**Cutecookielove: HAHAHAAHA I know you do! I wont let you down! There is most certainly lots of fluff to come, for both of our girls! You'll find out why in this chapter! I love that the captains are there too, I'm trying to keep this in the same world as 'Living With Giants' just a bit tweaked obviously, little differences. It most certainly was sad to describe them losing their original children, even though they had more in the end that got to live-ish, it was still tough. I think that question of who she gets adopted by gets addressed here lol! Hahaha im not sure if im going to give any of the other archangels kids or not yet, I got a bit of a story line built up and nothing yet, but maybe! Haniel definitely has a kid who is exactly like him! He claimed them (YES I SAID THEM—HE HAS TWINS) and loves them dearly! Fluff is coming dood! It's gonna hit ya!**

**EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester: Thank you! Im so glad you love it! I love you! In a not creepy way lol :D**

**AND ON TO CHAPTER 5!**

**…**

He smiled as he closed to door behind him, he knew both girls would be asleep sooner then later, and let them whisper to each other until they did turn to rest. Gabriel grinned at him as he came to stand before him, "You are so smitten with her and it's freaking adorable."

"Call me adorable, one more time, baby brother." He turned bright eyes on the youngest archangel, "And find out what becomes of you."

Though the hanging threat causes him to quiet down, it doesn't stop him from grinning that same grin he had before when he'd been joined by the older archangel. Gabriel collected himself after a moment, shooting a glance at the door in question that held the others they spoke of on the other side.

"Are you sure that she'll be fine."

He nodded, "Check on her every 45 minutes, she must actually wake up and respond," he followed his gaze to the door that held his daughter behind it, "But yes, she will be fine."

…

"How does our niece fair, little brother?"

Michael was waiting for him upon his return, armor removed from a long day's practice, fingers tugging slightly at the dark blue tunic he wore, and he seemed to have been waiting there for his return for some time.

He met his older brother's gaze and nodded, "She is fine." He opened the gate to their villa, "Just a minor concussion that should clear in a week's time."

His older brother nodded in approval, "Good." He pushed away from the tree he'd been leaning on, "More time for us to meet."

Raphael nodded, falling into step with his older brother, thoughts swirling around in his mind. Most were of his daughter and her welfare, but others came for her friend, young Ava. For that particular angel to father a child came as a surprise to him, and surely would for the others when they found out, he thought it pertinent information that the Captain of that traitor knew of his offspring. It would do nothing to alleviate his sentence, nor anything to soften any spite there may be between the pair of them for that that monster had done to his own charge, it made him happy that him of all angels had sired a Nephilim and never claimed her.

Young Ava seemed most ashamed at her fathers actions, and it seems, when others found out, of their relationship too. She had been most adamant about not being anything like him, and in the first few moments of meeting her, he knew that to be the absolute truth.

"What's on your mind, little brother?" his older brother was a calming solid presence at his side as they made the trek up their dirt path to their home, "You are troubled."

"Did you know that Thaddeus sired a child?"

That throw his older brother, it brought him to a complete stop, staring at him as though he had just told him the most absurd thing and in this instance, it most certainly sounded like he had. Even he had a hard time wrapping his mind around this knowledge.

"That beast was allowed to….Tell me of her immediately."

He smiled, confusing his brother even more, "She reminds me of a young Gabriel." They turned to continue their walk, at a slower pace then before, letting everything out into the air around them, "She is so full of life. So clever. Her heart is brimming with the love of the people she knows and hasn't met yet." The Healer frowned, "But she is haunted by who her father is. She thinks that she is alone, though happy for my daughter, her friend, she does not think she will ever be claimed."

"Knowing that selfish bastard," it was unlike his brother to curse so openly and he knew that the elder was passionate about this subject "He will never claim someone as the way you describe her."

"I told her of our belief in _adoption_."

Michael nodded, "Yes," he stopped at the step of their villa, "The allowance of another to claim guardianship if their current is not sufficient for them."

"I would say that this case falls under that category."

"I would agree.", he met his brothers gaze, "Who were you thinking?" he smiled slightly "I know you better then you think so spare me the denial, you've been thinking of this matter since you'd met her."

Raphael blushed slightly, looking to his feet for a moment before meeting his brothers eyes once more, "What of Nisroc?"

"What about him?"

"He's already raised two young ones, do you think, after that, he'd be opposed to raising a third?"

Michael hummed, tapping a finger to his lips as he crossed his arms once more, that was most certainly an interesting question.

"I don't believe he would have a problem with it, though it would be different to when he brought up Sasha and Paul, Nephilim are not typically allowed in Heaven without Father's say so and with Him being away at the moment there is no hope to gain entry for her, it would be long distance caretaking at its best." He nodded to himself, "But I have no doubts that should he choose to take in another that he would care for her to the best of his ability."

"Will you bring him when you come to meet your niece?"

His older brother nodded, "Of course, if we are to aid our niece, she will have the aid of the best forces Heaven has to offer at her shoulder." He thought a moment, "Has anyone made any mention of an Avery or Karlile?"

The Healer tilted his head in confusion, so the elder elaborated "Semyaza's children, he's claimed them as his, though he lost track of them some time ago and fears what they may be up to as of late."

"Meaning which side of this war they may be battling on."

Michael nodded, and the younger sighed, "No, there has not been any mention of them, I will be sure to inquire at our next meeting." His older sibling nodded, "Lucifer has given him permission to leave for Earth to attempt and locate them on his own." He gestured for his younger brother to take the first step before him, and Raphael led the way up to the door to their villa, "I will ensure that Nisroc joins us" something settled in place for the Healer, no one deserved to have no place to belong, and he would work a best as he could to gain her a place she could say she was meant for, it should be a law passed by council that if one should sire a child then they shall claim it or find another to take care should they think themselves unfit. "And I will bring the matter to his attention, to see what his opinion on the matter would be, he is not as young as he used to be."

"Older brother, if I may be so blunt, you're _older _then him."

_"Baby brother!"_

The Healer laughed and bolted through the door as his older brother made chase.

…

The following morning, Iaso woke before her friend did, and looked to her side sadly. She had always wondered what would have happened had she not have been claimed by her celestial parent, but for her closest friend to be living that life, she felt deep sadness for her. Ava was spunky, she was kind hearted, and had deadly precision with any projectile passed her way, and she couldn't understand who couldn't be proud enough of that to not have claimed them.

It was also another part in their war, a more personal matter that was kept between their own race, but there was some on the other side that believed it was time to over throw the Host, for a new Host to rise up for the world, and it all came down to the matter of not being claimed by their celestial parent. Though there were some who had been claimed and still joined them for the chaos they got to emit, she wondered if their parent knew of this, and if they did why they allowed it to happen. It made her wonder what her parent would do should she have been on the opposing side, and why her friend wasn't, for all that she'd been through she deserved to be. From what she's heard, Ava had met her dad only once, and he hadn't even claimed her after the meeting. It had been a short one, and her friend had retreated to solitude for some time after, she knew it was for her to break down without the others seeing and thinking her too compromised to be a scout anymore.

That's what they were; scouts.

They went from city to city, town to town, village to village, place to place, scouting out to see if there was an infestation or simply stragglers. Depending on the outcome of that scouting could bring about two different conclusions, reporting back of the infestation, or taking on the scouts on their own. Such as who they had run into down at the warehouses the other day, they had been scouts, whom she had no doubt that Ava had been following on her way to meeting up with her, and her Uncle had revealed to them the power that now stood at their side and allowed all three to report back their findings to whomever had sent them.

She threw the blanket aside, her headache not nearly as bad as it had been, and slowly climbed out of bed. She hadn't slept so soundly in a long time, not since becoming a scout in the war, and she knew it was her dad's doing. They had only met a handful of times, and every time they did it was like they had known each other forever, despite it being very far from the truth. He was a busy angel, he was an _archangel _so she couldn't exactly expect him to drop everything and be by her side every hour of the day, but he came when she needed him, and that's what mattered the most. She just wished her friend could have something like that too.

The teenager stretched, grimacing when her back cracked, and looked down to examine the nails of her left hand, and stretched again when she turned to make start of her day with breakfast. She didn't want to go on her own, and wasn't sure if her uncle was still there nor if he was awake, so she threw a pillow at her friend. Ava squawked in surprise, flailing out, and fell off the side of the bed with a heavy thud.

Iaso laughed at her friends groan, ducking as the pillow was thrown back at her, "What was that for, jerk?"

"I want to get food."

"You could'a gone by yourself."

"And spare you the joy of joining me?"

The other teenager groaned but stood to join her, "I hate you."

"Nah, you love me, and you know it."

They shared a smile as they exited the room, walking down the hall for what they hoped was the kitchen, but ended up just following the voices instead as curiosity over came their early morning hunger.

Her father was sitting across from her at the table, and she smiled, but years of being a scout didn't dilute her training, and she stood in the shadows of the of the doorway with her friend to examine the others in the room.

To her fathers right was a tall man with dark hair, a dark purple shirt and dark jeans, next to him was another. He had long dirty blonde hair, pulled up in a bun and a thick well-trimmed beard, tapping his fingers against the table and a large silver band around his ring finger gleamed in the slight.

To his left was a blonde man, tapping his fingers against the table in similar fashion, in a white shirt and an olive green jacket, beside him was a short curly haired man in a long sleeve blue shirt.

She could feel the weight of eyes on her, and her friend stepping up close to her shoulder to meet that gaze right back with a challenging manner, and the man at the right of the dark haired man's side smiled at the challenge, elbowing his companion on the side. The dark haired man looked up in their direction and uttered something to her dad.

His eyes met hers and they shared a smile.

"My daughter, would you like to meet your uncles?"

Ava pushed her from behind and she stumbled forward slightly, "Dude, I want to meet your uncles."

Iaso stepped forward, edging around the blonde man to sit at her fathers direct left side, and her friend stood behind her curiously. Her dad smiled at her, a large hand grasped hers tightly, "This," he gestured to the blonde man, she got a smile in greeting, "Is your uncle Lucifer." She nodded and Ava ooh'd "And his captain Semyaza.

"You're Avery and Karlile's dad."

He nodded, leaning forward, his eyes portraying how worried he was, "Please tell me, are they, are they doing wrong?"

Ava and Iaso exchanged glances, and both shook their heads, "No. They're scouts in Chicago."

He seemed to sigh in relief and nodded to them, allowing the archangel to continue one, gesturing to the dark haired tall man on his other side "This is your uncle Michael." She nodded and Ava ooh'd again, "And his captain Nisroc."

"Guy, you are huge!"

It was true, he was well fit, taller then they were even sitting down, not that it was much of an accomplishment. It was easy to figure out that he was a warrior, he was built like one, muscular and thick like they were.

Iaso laughed softly, bending to press her face to her hands, at her friends exclamation, "I am so sorry."

"It is of no matter," he waved the apology away, leaning back in his chair, he addressed the other Nephilim with light amusement "You are quite small."

"Did you…..Did you just call me _short_?"

"Perhaps, _lithe_ was what I was going for."

She crossed her arms, Iaso looked over her shoulder to watch them, "I'll let it slide."

"I'm grateful. I don't know what I would have done against you as my opponent."

Ava grinned, turning to her friend with bright eyes, "Ia' I think I like him."

The man, Nisroc, smiled at her words and she met his smile, happy that her friend had met someone who did not frown at her personality, not that anyone they had met otherwise had, but the notion was all the same.

"I think he likes you too, girl."

"Not that I'm not happy to have met you guys," Iaso looked to her father, "But _why _am I meeting you guys?"

Michael cleared his throat, leaning forward on the table, "We come to offer our help in your war." He gestured to Nisroc, "My captain has offered his assistance in the matter at hand."

The two Nephilim exchanged looks, though they be fighting one another, there was still honor in their fighting.

"Any warrior, good or bad, deserves to face their opponent honorably." Nisroc raised his chin slightly, "That is the only way to properly fight a battle."

Ava nodded, and Iaso spoke for both of them, "We accept your help."

Michael nodded, turning to spare his Captain a look, and he nodded in return, "What is your roles in this grand fight?"

Ava hummed, sitting on the arm of the chair that her friend sat in, examining her nails in an airy way, "We're scouts. Best damn scouts you'll ever meet."

"Scouts?"

Iaso nodded, but let her friend explain, "Scouts." And elbowed her when it appeared that the only explanation that was to be given, she was going to give was a one-word reply.

The young lady with the dark purple hair rubbed at the spot she had just been elbowed and elaborated further "You know, _scouts_, we get sent to specific towns, cities, villages, etc to scope out whether there is an infestation of Outcasts or if theirs just other scouts gathering intel for the infestation to form." She nodded to the Messenger, "The three we ran into yesterday were scouts too, for the other side, I'd been following them for a good while now trying to get the jump on them, so your interference was much appreciated. Depending on our findings, we report back to the higher ups, though, technically speaking, Iaso would be the highest now seeing as she's the blood of an Archangel."

"You ranks are in a hierarchy pattern?", the Captain at Michael's right inquired, interested in their layout and infrastructure, "Yes. Avery was the leader at first, seeing as he was the son of the Grigori Captain, but now that Iaso has been claimed by an archangel, that makes her leader by our law."

The nephilim in question laughed, "I have no desire to be leader, I barely stand following orders to the key, let alone the ability to give them." She shared an amused, knowing, smile with her friend, "Avery can keep his position. I have no want for it."

"Do you know where the other nephilim are located?"

The pair of them turned to look at her other uncle, Lucifer, and nodded in sync with one another, "Not off hand, but there is a spell we can use to track them should they go missing, why?"

"No reason." He looked thoughtful though, "Just a hunch."

They talked for a bit longer, getting to know one another now, the talk about war having come to a temporary end, and Iaso smiled as her uncles introduced themselves a bit more then just by name as her dad had done.

Michael seemed strict, especially when it came to battle, which was something she could appreciate and respect, she could tell by his demeaner of it that he thought the only course of action was to be honorable. And that made her happy to have them on their side and having accepted their help, of course, they'd have to run it passed Avery first, but Ava was right in a way, her word now counted as law in the same manner his did, perhaps a bit more so what with her claimant coming from an Archangel.

But on the other side, the one opposite the battled hardened warrior he was, was a softer side. His smiles were kind and gentle, his hand warm and soft when it touched her cheek, and he spoke in a tone that was low and soothing.

He was rough on the outside, especially in battle, but was soft and kind on the inside, it just depended on the situation that he was finding himself in.

Ava talked with Nisroc a bit more, and she resisted the urge to interrupt them with laughter at their differences in height, the angel had to slouch to be closer, as to not loom over her friend, and they exchanged words with smiles expressed across both their features. She could only hope that her friend had finally found an angel that would spare her the time, as the claimed did from their parent, even if it wasn't an official claim.

Lucifer was a bit more laidback then Michael was, more so Heaven's strategist then Heaven's sword, though he could be just as deadly as the other when prompted. He joked a lot, spot with a bit of snark that she shot back with equal vigor, and it only made him smile more. Little crinkles at the corners of his eyes showed her that he often smiled, chuckled that deep belly chuckle he did when she shot back a quip as good as the one she had received.

He was just was gentle as Michael was when he touched her cheek, though his hand was noticeably cooler then the others had been, the gesture was still tender and familial. His tone was almost just as deep as the oldest archangel's had been, but held a bit more humor to it, like her uncle Gabriel's did and she knew immediately where the Messenger had gotten it from.

Though their meeting came to an end soon enough, them having to return to their duties in Heaven, and her father wanted her to get some food and rest a bit more when the headache started to become a noticeable nuisance again. Her uncles gave her a hug in part, and she watched over Michael's shoulder as his captain pat her friends cheek lightly and smiled into the archangels neck at the notions that swirled around her thoughts.

…

Michael met back in his office with his Captain, both taking a seat at the desk, on either side of one another and reclined back in comfortable positions. He had told his Captain of the other young one before their leaving, and the Captain had said he would keep an open mind to the matter that the younger archangel had come to his older brother with.

There was amusement in his eyes as he looked across at his second in command, "What say you on this war we are involving ourselves in."

"Sir, if I may be blunt?", he waited until he gained a nod of approval, "It sounds like children that need a firm hand to the behind from their parent tog et them back in line once more."

They sat in amusement for a short moment before moving on the next topic for discussion.

"So?", a smile graced the archangels face thought, he had seen along the same lines as his niece had, his captain wore his heart on his sleeve and when he took a liking to someone it was there for one to see as if they were reading an open book. "Tell me your thoughts?"

"Sir, if I may speak bluntly once more, she reminds me of young Akeelah, in a particular way."

The archangel nodded at the other, "She does. Their personalities match nearly impeccably. I have no doubts they would become good friends should they meet. Her and my niece as well." He crossed his arms loosely "And of the other matter?"

"I don't know, Michael." He knew that his captain as at a crossroad when he called him by name, and he listened and watched intently, this was a hard choice for one of them to make. They could only care for their nephilim from afar, and though they could intervene, they could not remain at their side despite their desire to and they could not join them in Heaven without their Father's word in permitting it. "Are you sure her parent would not claim her?"

"I am surprised at you, Nisroc, that you would not see the resemblance right away." He rubbed at his chin, "You do not know who her parent is by mere look, they share the same eyes, as most nephilim do from their celestial parent."

The Power looked confused, and then thoughtful, finally coming to settle on shaking his head. He did not know her parent, and could not place it, there was many who shared the same color eyes that she did among their extensive family.

"Her father is Thaddeus."

That admission caught his breath, his thoughts immediately taking him to that young man currently sleeping soundly in his barrack above his dearest friend, the pain that the exiled Power had caused that poor boy as a small hatchling was unmistakable and inexcusable, it had taken him years to get the boy to open up to the world around him, to allow himself to be separated from his side for long periods of time. And to think that the beast that had caused that much pain had offspring made his blood boil.

"Do not let anger cloud your judgement, Nisroc."

He shook his head, "My anger is not directed at the nephilim, more so at the one who would father one and abandon her."

"Does it come as a surprise though?" the archangel dipped his chin in question, "Sasha was not as he had wanted him to be and we see how he was treated." He heaved a sigh, "from what I can gather, he disappeared for some time a few eons ago, presumably to meet the daughter he had fathered, he was gone for a while and returned in a foul mood. I can only assume that his findings were not to his liking and there was an altercation to be had."

"You wouldn't think that he would do _that_?" the Power's eyes went wide as to what the Archangel was implying "That's an offence worthy of being stripped of ones own Grace and being thrown into the Phlegethon in the Greeks domain of punishment."

"Would you put it above him thought?" his archangel gave him a particular look, "Knowing what he would do to a fledgling."

"Point made." The Power shook his head, "I would not put it above him, the scheming bastard, that child does not deserve the pain that would have caused." He rubbed at his arm a bit, "It is a surprise that she would still be the way she is after that altercation that could have possibly been had, how trusting she still is around our kind."

"She is a better soul then her father could ever hope to be." The archangel clenched a fist "I knew he was not pure, we had agreed as a council for him to be stripped, but the judgement was overturned by Him. He is much to caring to those who don't deserve His love." He turned to his Power once more, "Which brings us back to our conundrum, doesn't it?"

Nisroc sighed, "It would mean a lot to claim a Nephilim, I've never fathered one myself, but I know Haniel has and he has shared stories." He shook his head, unsure of himself, "I simply don't know."

"You are fond of her, though, yes?" the archangel smiled, "I know you like I know the back of my hand, my friend, you were taken with her at first meeting."

"I am…enamored, yes." The Power still seemed hesitant though, "But to do something such as claiming her, that would be the equivalent of…what do humans call it….._adopting _her. I would be taking on another charge, and for longer a span then I had with Paul and Sasha, Nephilim age so much _slower_ than we do."

"That is because they are half human."

"I can only imagine what the _mother_ must have been like to have a child with someone like _him_."

"Let's not ruin the moment, now." The archangel looked thoughtful, "Would you consider it?" he amended slightly, "I do not want to pressure you into making a rushed decision to something as important as this one would be." He looked at him curiously "But, would you be willing to take on another charge?"

"I don't know, Michael." The Power looked unsure even as he spoke these emotions as plainly as one could, "I am not as young as I used to be, and a Nephilim charge would be much different then taking in a fledgling charge."

"Nisroc, you are not that aged." The archangel stated bluntly, "I am so much _older _then you and will not be passing command over for a _very long _time."

"I would consider it, but before any decision is made, I would need to discuss the matter with my two charges. Though growing they may be, and having chosen the may have, they are still my charges."

Michael nodded in agreement, "I would expect nothing less from you." He uncrossed his arms and leaned forward over the desk, "That is why we thought of you over anyone else, you care for your charges, 'adopted' they may be, as if they were one of your own." He poked at the wooden desk "And that is what the Nephilim child needs, especially if the altercation we believe to have happened, actually had occurred. She will need someone she knows she can rely on when they are needed, and I know you would never let something ill-meant to happen to one of your charges, and she needs someone to love her as her father should have, and you, my friend, love with all your heart." He gestured in the direction of the barracks, "Those two boys are proof of that."

"I will consider it."

And the archangel knew he would, honestly, his captain never uttered a word he did not mean, one of the many reasons he had chosen him as Captain.

"Thank you, my friend, I know it is a lot that we ask of you." He smiled at him, "But there is no one else we would trust with this young heart."

**…**

**AN: So we got some development! Iaso got to meet her uncles and their both pretty chill, and Gabriel, but she's already met him lol! She also got to meet Nisroc, and Ava is being her awesome self too, good stuff. Raphael is trying to get Ava a new guardian, a new 'parent' to claim her, and he knows who he wants. **

**What will Nisroc do? Will he claim her as his? What will Paul and Sasha say? **


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: A bit of filler and stuff before things begin to get heated! The next few chapters may be a bit delayed though, so I apologize in advance, things are sort of stuffed right now time management wise! After Christmas things will get back on track again! I'm at least trying to update once or twice a week! **

**Reviews: **

**Robin0203: Hahahaha he won't let them do anything dangerous, honestly, and when they inevitably do he's going to worry so much! Ava isn't necessarily unclaimed, but this chapter is about her story, or at least the important bits, its good! Don't worry! NIS IS HERE BRO! Nis is a true guy.**

**Cutecookielove: Hahahah yes, Haniel had twins, and they are exactly like him. He gets the saying 'what goes around comes around' to a whole new literal level now. We will get to see more of them, together too, later on! Had to establish our mains first, but the others do come into play! Hahahaha Michael wears every color man, even pink, he's cool like that! Making him curse is hilarious, because he tries to be all respectful and stuff in case any little eyes are watching him, but he curses when he's really angry! It is a different type of relationship, I don't want to give a whole lot away, but claiming a nephilim is the human equivalent of adopting a child, which is different then the guardian and fledgling relationship, primarily on the aging factor among a few other things. So it's like he would be adopting her as his own blood (though not blood). It's confusing. But yes. It's a different type of relationship lol. I don't wanna give too much away, but there is a way for Nephilim to get to Heaven without Him granting it, that's all I'm gonna say. They can't stay long, like, live there without His say so, but it is possible for them to come up.**

**And unto the chapterrr!**

**…**

He took the matter of claiming a nephilim as seriously as the one made when taking on both Paul and Sasha, it was no easy decision to make, there was much to think on the matter. He thought as he walked, his feet taking on a mind of their own, in search for the one whom would know more about this then anyone else he would, would know more about the nephilim hierarchy then he surely would.

The one in question was polishing his sword when he found him, sitting on a bench in the armory, humming absently to himself as he worked on what needed working.

"Haniel, may I have a word with you?"

The Power looked up at the sound of his voice, eyes wide at being caught off guard, "Am I in trouble?"

That caused the Captain to narrow his eyes, "Did you do something?" and he heaved a sigh, shaking his head.

"I wanted to ask you about your twins."

The other Power went stiff so suddenly that it caught him off guard, they had all known of the two children, there was no secrets between them in their family, so his stiffening was absurd.

"What about them?"

"Do you regret them?"

He turned to meet his eyes, "Never." He set his sword aside, "They are the greatest things I have, Lola and Lacy, I wouldn't trade them for the world."

Nisroc nodded, sitting next to him on the bench "And you don't regret claiming them?"

"Not a single moment." He sat up, folding the cloth over his knee, "Claiming a nephilid gives them a place in their society, it gives them a voice," he leaned forward, "And it makes them know that they are wanted. Not just a union between us and their human parent. But something more then that." He tilted his head, "Why do you ask?"

"No reason." The captain looked to his boots "If you were to claim one that was not yours, would you?"

"It would depend on them." He turned back to his polishing "Do they deserve it?"

"What do you know of one named Ava?"

Haniel chuckled, "She's a good girl. My twins are good friends with her. She has a bright heart." He turned a knowing glance on him "Why? Are you planning on claiming a nephilim?" he chuckled lowly "If anyone would deserve it, it would be that girl."

…

He returned to the Bunker alone, in his search for what he should do, in search for the nephilim in question. Ava was not there, and he found his commander's young niece in the library reading a book. She looked up at him curiously, setting her book down "Are you looking for Ava?"

"That obvious?" he hummed and sat next to her, she slid the book away and turned to look at him, she looked so much like her father did, it was almost uncanny. The way she tilted her head when asking questions in curiosity, the protectiveness of those she cared for.

"Um, yea, I saw the way you two were going on the other day."

He smiled, looking to his hands, "Tell me of her?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"Well get comfortable," she pushed the book away completely and folded in on herself, preparing to tell her story.

"Ava loves everybody. You could be good or bad." She set her chin on her palm, "Even her dad. Despite the huge scum bag that he is, she loves him, it's just her nature." She smiled, "She's crazy too, takes any dare passed along, and let me tell you that there have been some questionable dares that's come along. Loves dying her hair, she says it's self-expression, she loves her art too. Carries around a sketch pad everywhere she goes. She likes girls, had a girlfriend once, ended on bad terms." She looked to him on the last admission, wondering his thoughts on that matter, and he seemed unphased as though he could care less about where her heart took her. She smiled at the thought that it was one less person who would judge her based on who she loved, in regards to _loving _someone, Thaddeus had most certainly had opinions on the matter. It was one of the reasons he'd disowned her.

"What of her relationship with her father?" it broke his heart just a bit to know that she had love in her heart for an angel that would never reciprocate the feeling, "Is there one?"

"Nah, don't worry," Iaso looked to her lap, "He disowned her. They met once, some time ago, and she disappeared for some time. There is speculation, none of it proved mind you, that he attempted to take back the part of him that's twined in her soul but was unsuccessful, so he disowned her instead. The second worst thing that a parent could do." She narrowed her eyes, "Second of three."

"What are the first and third?"

She raised her eyebrow, "Well, the first being that they are successful in taking their part away from the twined soul, and that kills them." She scratched at her ear lightly, "The third is being unclaimed. Either the parent doesn't know that their child exists, such was my case, of they do and don't care, which is horrible. But I guess its better then being claimed by someone who won't love you right."

Nisroc nodded, absorbing all the information he was gathering on the matter at hand, there was no one else who knew the workings of the nephilim society then one of their own, he hated asking all these questions about his inquiry to what appeared to be one of her closest friends, but there was no one else he could think of.

"And disowning?"

The Healer's child frowned, "Disowning is the worst thing to happen to you. If you're dead then you know your place. Being unclaimed means that your unknown, you have little say in the society that we live in, but your word does count in certain matters." She looked down at the table, a wave of sympathy washing over her for her friend, Ava didn't deserve her fate, "But, being disowned, that means that you were recognized and rejected. Your word means nothing, _you _mean nothing, lowest of the low in our hierarchy. Even the unclaimed have more say then the disowned do. Ava was given her place as my partner because I refused to do it without her there."

Their eyes met again, and he nodded, "Can one who's been disowned be reclaimed by another?"

"Why?", Iaso gave a side smile, and nodded to his question, "Yes, you can be reclaimed if you've been disowned." She met his gaze, her eyes sparkling in the lighting of the library, a certain amount of threat portrayed in the stare, "Don't lead her on. She's gone through so much already. If you don't want anything to do with her then let it go. She barely made it when she was disowned the first time, being made to think that someone wants her only to be mistaken would kill her." She reached for her book back, opening it back to the page that had been marked when he'd arrived, and he knew his time with her and his questions was coming to an end. "She just needs someone to show her the same love that she shows everyone else."

He nodded, thanking her for her time, letting her return to her book that she'd been given to read from her father and left her there in a quick flurry of silver feathers.

…

He greeted Titus on the training field, having already gathered Sashael from his own squadrons barrack, and the other Power gave him a knowing smile and greeted him in turn, "Titus, may I borrow Paul for a short time?"

The young many looked up at the sound of his name, bright eyes meeting his when he was spotted, and Titus nodded, motioning for his third year cadet to dismiss himself. The two brothers, both united by being the charge of the one leading them to his office, exchanged looks behind him. Nisroc held his office door open for them, gesturing for them both to enter, and they ducked under his arm to do just that. Sasha stepped around the desk to sit in the Power's seat, and Paul stood behind one of the two on the other side ringing his hands together.

"Am I in trouble?"

That caught the boy's guardian, though grown as he was, the Captain would always be his guardian "Should you be?"

The boy took on a peculiar look, "No?"

At the response being in the form of a question, the Power pointed a finger at him, "We will come back to that discussion later." The boy deflated and sat next to the Power when the other didn't make any motion to kick the younger of his two charges from his own seat.

"I called you both in here for your opinions."

"Is it about you claiming a nephilim?"

Sasha couldn't help it, he blurted it out before his guardian could get to the matter he wished to discuss, Nisroc stared at him with wide eyes and Paul's mouth dropped open in surprise that the younger had known something before he had, and for it to be something as dramatic as claiming a nephilim, this was news he hadn't heard yet.

The elder charge turned to his guardian, "Are you really?"

"I am…_considering _it."

"Who is it?"

"Ava, right?" Sasha resisted the flinch that tried to creep up on him at the look he got from his guardian, Nisroc was dumbfounded that the boy knew before he ever spoke word of it to the two of them "Sasha, _how _do you even _know _this?"

Sasha took a deep breath as though this was going to be a long winded answer, "Well, you know how Akeelah is best friends with Zaveriel?" the Power nodded, "Well Zaveriel is good friends with Lola and Lacy." The Power was dumbfounded, "Who Haniel tells everything to when it regards nephilim." He felt a headache coming on, "So they told Zaves, who told Akeelah, who told me." He shot a smug look over to his older brother charge at the fact of the matter that he knew before the other did and Paul glowered playfully in return, "I for one think you should do it."

He looked to Paul for his opinion, and he nodded in time with his younger brother charge, "I don't want to make it sound like I disagree, because I don't disagree, but are you sure you can do it?", he tugged at his sleeve, "I mean, that's like adopting a human child, is that something you're okay doing?"

"I've met her only once, and she already holds a place in my heart, she deserves nothing less."

"_She_?" Paul shared a look with the other behind the desk, Sasha raised an eyebrow, "We're going to have a little _sister_!"

"But you would be okay?", he looked between them, "With me taking in another?"

His charges exchanged looks, "We're not exactly young anymore, we know you'd neve replace us." They shared a nod, "We think you should do it. You clearly want to."

…

He knocked on his Captains office door with a single knuckled, looking down to his boot as he waited for the voice from within to offer him entrance, it had been a week since the matter had been brought to his attention, and in that week he'd learned more from others on the matter, spent more time with the nephilim in question, and had come to his decision after that long week that had been lived through.

The soft voice granted him entrance and he turned the handle of the door softly, granting himself entrance in the room, Michael met his gaze solidly and set aside the paperwork he'd been working at his entrance into the office.

"You've had a very long week, my Captain."

"That I have, sir." He rubbed at his ear and sat in the chair on the opposing side of the table "I have done plenty of research and learned much in this week."

"I see," the Viceroy nodded along, folding his hands together in front of him, giving his Captain the entirety of his attention "And is this on the matter that we discussed a week previous?"

Nisroc nodded, "It is.", he sighed and nodded, "I would be willing to claim the nephilim."

"Are you sure?" his commander tilted his head to the side, "It is not something that is taken lightly to their kind. It is not something to be made lightly. I will not have another break this one's heart."

He nodded, "I've thought long and hard on the matter, it was not a decision made lightly." He cleared his throat, "If I may speak freely?" his commander nodded, "Always, my friend." He looked him solely in the eyes, "I have gotten to know her rather well in this last week and have grown quite attached. I would like to claim the Nephilim, Ava Browne, as my own."

Michael smiled, "Well, then, shall we make it official?"

The Power took a deep breath, himself fearful that she would reject him, it was a possible though unlikely outcome to this entire thing, but he stood with his Commander. Michael stepped around his desk, calling out into the empty space for his brothers, he knew they would hear his call no matter where they may be.

He turned, as they wait for their arrival, "Have you crafted her a seal?"

The Power nodded, holding up a pendant that dangled from a silver chain, it was his personal seal, something that all claimed nephilim bore. Iaso's necklace was the Healer's seal, one that had been gifted to his lover long ago, and had been passed to their daughter upon her birth, the Healer had claimed her before knowing of her existence with the seal being given to her at birth.

The Morningstar and Messenger arrived first, sharing the message that the Healer was already on Earth with his daughter, and Michael nodded in understanding, he himself didn't have children, but was rather fond of his niece and liked to spend at much time as he could with her as well, that was most certainly doubly so for the Healer.

"Nisroc wishes to claim a nephilim."

They turned to look at him in surprise and he nodded.

Michael carried on, "I know Raphael would agree, but as the remaining half of the council, do you grant this union?"

It was a special circumstance, the claiming of ones own child could come naturally, whether approved or not, but the claiming of one that was not their own birthed child took the approval of the council, it was a precaution to ensure that an angel who would do more harm then good would be able to claim a nephilim child.

"Of course."

"Duh."

There was no hesitance, honestly, they had all been hoping that the Power Captain would take the Nephilim in question as his own, the more they got to know her through their niece, they more they knew she deserved to have someone love her as she loved everyone else, even her bastard biological father, completely and unconditionally, and they knew that the Captain would do so with all of his heart and grace.

Michael turned to smile at him, the other two watching silently, "It has been approved, my friend, shall we go make her aware?"

…

Iaso listened to her friend gush in amusement and elation, Ava hadn't been this excited about just anyone in a long time, and to have found someone that made her this happy, made her, as her friend, just as happy. Her father was silently reading a book some ways away, at another table, and she knew despite his not acknowledging it, that he was amused by the other nephilim's excitement.

She told her about how he taught her some new moves, to use in battle when the need arose, how he gave her a dagger to keep with her when she was on her own scouting out a village or what not, how he had given her permission to call on him if she ever had need of him. She wore the old leather jacket he'd given her with such pride, everywhere she could manage, when they'd returned to the nephilim capital in an ancient city there had been many who'd asked where she'd gotten it, and though they didn't believe her when she told them, she knew where it had come from and that was enough for her.

The usual jeers at her disowned status hadn't even phased the elation that she had felt when someone cared enough about her to give her a new belonging.

"Iaso, I really like him, like, more then I like my dad, I think…" she seemed to taper off for a moment, "I think I love him, Ia."

She laughed at her friends statement, "Ava, he's been here to see you _every _day this last week." She pat her friend on the shoulder playfully, "I _think _he really likes you too.", the other nephilim jumped in her seat excitedly, "You really think so?"

"I really think so."

The nephilim leaned in closer to her friend, "I'm not supposed to say anything—" she was interrupted "Iaso." She turned, meeting the gaze of her father over the book he was reading, and huffed when he shook his head. She wanted so dearly to tell her friend what the plans were, but knew that with her father in hearing range she would never get a word out about it, and fell silent.

But too much had already been spoken, Ava looked between the two of them, eyes wide and alarmed, "Not supposed to say _what_?" a horrified look came over her, she'd been rejected once, and she knew that this was about to be the second time, her fingers gripped the sleeves of her hoodie as she prepared herself for it the second time around, "He hates me doesn't he."

"_What_?", Iaso looked back at her friend in surprise, at the sudden shift in mood, even her father seemed startled and she wasn't even looking in his direction to be sure, "He clearly doesn't hate you!"

"Then _what _can't you say?" Ava looked put out, knowing that her friend knew something and wasn't telling her, they shared everything, well, it seemed, almost everything.

"Nothing."

"I'm too hyper. Too excitable. Oh my grandfather!" She smacked a hand to her forehead, "I let myself be led on!"

Her face flushed and Iaso watched her quickly avert her eyes when they suddenly appeared in the library, she watched the Power grow concerned at the spark's sudden dimness and when he looked in her direction, she merely shrugged and look back to her father.

Raphael shared a glance with her uncle, and smiled, setting his book aside, "I give my consent."

Her uncle nodded, and she turned to watch as he squeezed the Power's shoulder, "I give mine, obviously, my friend."

A smile overcame her features, she knew this would be the outcome that day, one week ago exactly, he had come to her with inquiries about her friend. She was like her father, in the way she was inquisitive and thoughtful, often seeing the bigger picture before anyone else knew what the bigger picture was.

Ava still refused to look up at him though, and a frown marred his features, Iaso spotted the small box in his large left hand, fingers curled around it as he nodded his thanks to the archangels around the room, and he stepped forward, pulling the other chair away and kneeling next to her friend's side.

Nisroc took a deep breath, as though to build up the courage, "Ava?" when she ignored him, staring down at her hands, he sighed lightly, "Little one?" that had always gained a response, and thus it still held true, she turned to look at him with sad eyes, he wanted to question them, but he knew if he didn't ask now, he may never have the courage to do so now, "I have a gift for you."

"A gift?"

As it would with any teenager, the aspect of a gift captivated her attention, and she uncurled slightly to look at him more fully. Iaso looked about her uncles and father, her lip quirking in amusement at the widening smiles they wore at the sight they beheld. If there was any nephilim that she knew deserved this, it was her best friend, Ava had been through so much since her rejection from her biological father, had faced so much ridicule from so many for his disownment, and to have this happen, it was a blessing being bestowed by Grandfather Himself.

He held the little box up to her, and she looked between him and the box at least twice, taking in the nerves that rolled within his gaze, and took the box in hands that were so much smaller then hers were, and she spared him a look before staring down at the little box in her hand.

This was such a private moment that they were witnessing, and she felt slightly wrong for intruding on it, but none of them seemed to be able to turn away from it.

He nudged her thigh softy, "Open it." She bit her lip, praying that it was what she had hoped it would be, but preparing herself for the worst fallout she could ever face, and slowly she lifted the top off of the small box. It was not much, a small obsidian stone, attached to a silver chain, and she pulled it from the box with silence. He watched her set the box aside, pulling the stone up to hold in her palm, rub her thumb over the rune engraved on the fine smooth stone.

"Is this…?"

"My seal?"

She looked up at him with wide eyes, wide eyes that were watering with tears that never should be seen in them, "Your…Your seal?" she sniffed when he nodded, "Like….Like the one that Iaso got from her dad?" at the mention of her pendant, she instinctively twirled it between her fingers, her eyes meeting those of her fathers and they shared a small loving smile between them, and perhaps the other members to the archangels flock, but mainly between them.

Nisroc nodded "The very same."

"But..But…" she couldn't understand, her father said that she was an abomination among abominations, that no one could love a foul creature such as herself, "I..You should know…I like girls…" she held the stone, his seal, back to him, and he pushed it back "I don't care much who you decide you love. I care that you are loved. That you are happy. I don't very much care who that might be for nor from."

"But…But I'm an abomination among abominations, that's what he said…. That's what he said when he disowned me….Why would anyone want an abomination?"

He curled his fingers around the arms of the chair she was sitting in and turned it to face him, her head cast down, staring at the seal in her hand, and then to his hands curled around her knees.

"The only abomination I see is he. You are a lover. A dreamer. You are the farthest thing from an abomination." His hands, so much larger then hers, curled around the one holding the seal, "Would you let me claim you?"

Finally, her watering eyes turned up to meet his, and he reached a tentative hand up to rub a tear away with his thumb, caressing her cheek tenderly, when the tear managed to escape from her eyes.

"You…you _want _me?"

"Always."

She sniffed once, smiling at him silently, and nodding to his question. He smiled at her, taking the necklace from her hand, and leaned forward to reach around her neck to clasp it securely for her to wear, for all to see, that she was claimed by someone. She was claimed by a Power. She was claimed by the Power _Captain_. The next best thing to being claimed by an Archangel was being claimed by one of their elite legions. And she had been.

She was no longer merely a disowned.

She belonged somewhere.

Iaso stood from her seat, to give them some space, skirted around the table and between her uncles, to meet her father at the other end. The Healer hadn't stood from his seat, though his book had been set aside to witness the proceedings, and she sat against his side in the curve of the chair, smiling when she felt her arm curl around her in return, pulling her in close to him until she was practically on top of him.

Ava sniffed again, laughing a watery laugh, and leaned forward to wrap around the Power kneeling in front of her. He was surprised at first, at the sudden action of the hug, but recovered quickly and wrapped her with in his own embrace. He stood, pulling her to stand with him, folded around the small nephilim as if he were to protect her from all harm in the world.

Her cries were faint against him, though they could see her shoulders shaking, her fingers clutching at the dark green long sleeve shirt he wore, and he curled around her as much as he could, pressing his face into her hair.

Her parent had rejected her, because she did not fit the picture of what a child like his was meant to fulfill, because of whom she had chosen to love, and another had come. Another wanted her. Another couldn't care less whom she chose to love as hers.

Nisroc pulled her away, when he felt her tears lessen, and held both of her cheeks in his hands, pressing their foreheads together, "You have brothers too."

"I have brothers?"

"Older brothers," he smiled at his new claim, his new child, his new charge, "They want to meet you and fight at your side." She seemed a bit overwhelmed but stared into his eyes none the less, "Would you let them?" she seemed to think on it for a moment, and then nodded, as best as she could given her position, "Yes."

Iaso looked down at her own father in confusion, "I don't have any siblings," he turned to look up at her, "Do I?"

"If he is including his old charges in his family," he nodded, seeming to think on the matter, "Then yes, you would have quite a few."

"Oh, my Grandfather!" she turned to look at him more fully, "I do!"

"Yes, though not in the sense of another nephilim, but full-blooded angels." The Healer smiled at her excitement, "I've had a few charges who I'm sure would consider you a sister of theirs; Constantine, Zaveriel, Oren, Joshua, Akeelah, to name a few."

"I know Zaveriel and Akeelah."

That caused him to look up at her this time, both eyebrows raised, "_How _do you know him?" she smiled at his interest and the way it offset him, "He's helped me send messages back to the capital in the ancient city." He stared at her still though, "How do you know Akeelah?" she laughed softly, "She comes with him. Don't tell Nisroc though, that's where she sneaks off to during the night, and he doesn't know where she goes."

"Do they know that you are my daughter?"

"No."

He dug the fingers he held around her side inwards, and she choked and jolted further into him, only trapping herself against him, "Ashamed of me?"

"Noho! They just hahaven't been around ihin a while!"

The Healer smiled, letting up on her side, and she squirmed to find a comfortable position, her legs ended up dangling over his right thigh as she settled in the crook of the chair he sat on, leaning against his side. He merely raised his chin to press it to her braids, curling his arm around her waist instead, and they watched the Power and nephilim whisper to each other. The other Archangels waved to them in farewell, having to return to their duties in Heaven, leaving the new pair alone together and the Healer with his child in the chair on the other side of the room.

Iaso turned slightly, pressing her ear to his chest lightly, "Did you ever regret finding out that you had a child?"

"I was shocked at first, I still am in a way," he kissed her ear, "But I was never ashamed of it." He curled her in to him tighter for a moment in the semblance of a hug, "Regret was never an emotion I felt, and is still an emotion I don't feel to this day, I have known my daughter for a little over a month and cherish ever moment I get to spend with her." His grip loosened and she turned to straighten out into her previous position again.

"Did you know about him wanting to ask to claim her?"

He chuckled softly, it was a rumbling sound from deep in the chest she pressed her ear against, it sounded like thunder on a stormy summer's day, "I was the one who asked him." She pat his chest with her free hand, "You did good, dad." He chuckled again, "I'm happy you approve."

"Do you really think they'll want to meet me?" he hummed under her, "Who?" she picked lightly at his olive green shirt, "The ones who said would consider my a sister, do you think they'd really want to meet me?" he brushed his fingers over her hand tangled in his shirt as he reached for his book once more, "I know they will. Prepare yourself." He opened the book to where he had marked the page, "You are about to have a legion at your beck and call. They will adore you as one of their own. My Virtues are rather protective of fledglings."

"What's a fledgling?"

"A fledgling is a child."

"I'm not a child!" he laughed softly at her adamant statement, finding his place on the page of the novel he had been reading, "Of course not. Would you like me to read to you?" he knew his argument had been proven when she nodded against his chest and he began to read aloud.

They would enjoy the peace while it lasted, because it wouldn't for much longer, the excitement of the claiming had taken their attention away from a battle raging around them, and it would be soon that their attention was redirected. Perhaps with new allies though. So, they'd be prepared.

Because it was just around the corner.

…

**AN: Yay! We have a new family! And, Yay! For the fluff! We got our fill now right? Cause it's gonna get juicy here? We got a war to fight doods! Got new faces to meet, more relationships to build, and asses to kick! **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Hey ya'll! I got some free time so im working on a few chapters for a few of my stories! Hope you all enjoy! **

**Reviews: **

**Robin0203: Thank you! :D**

**Cutecookielove: Hahahahah both of them are the main character! Haniel and his twins make random appearances, don't worry! There's also a few guest surprises that are made in passing! Hahaha I'm happy you liked the fluff outtake I sent you! I was so happy to see Adam and Michael back in the last last episode (lol) they are honestly the best functional relationship on this show and I hope we get to see more of them! **

**EmilyAnnMcGarrett-Winchester: Thank you! :D:D**

**…**

It was in the next morning that the two girls delivered the news that they had to return to their capital to give their findings to their own leader, there was no infestation in this town, and that they had to move on. The elder angels had been against the idea of them going at it alone, it was a long trek to the capital, and with there being a war going on they loath to send them on their own.

Raphael had declined their original plan of setting out on the trail alone, arms wrapped around his daughters front has she leaned back against his chest comfortably "Absolutely not, it's not that I don't trust your ability, but if there are ones out there that would kill you without a second thought I prefer to have one of us by your side."

Beside him, arms curled loosely around her shoulders, Nisroc pressed his lips to his new Nephilim charges ear, smiling when she shifts way from him, "I agree, even the most battle hardened need their back up."

Castiel stepped forward, as though to volunteer for the job that needed done, and Iaso eyed him dangerously. The arms wrapped around her tightened in warning, to keep her sparkling temper in check before unwarranted violence was given, and she curls back into his chest, her words forcibly calm as she speaks "No. Thank. You." She turned to look up at her father, and their matching eyes meet one another, and he smiled down to her, pressing a fond kiss to her nose, "Can uncle Gabriel come?"

"You're darn tootin I can!"

As if hearing his name being spoken, he appeared at their side, "I made arrangements for my flock to be handled by my captain for the time being," he poked his niece in the side and she inched away from him slightly, jolting at the feeling, and feels her father's chest rumble when he chuckles at her reaction.

"I'm all yours girly!"

But the hunter trio are not onboard with letting a self perceived _'monster' _roaming around on their own, and their partaking in the adventure to the capital is vehnemately denied by both Nephilim, from the unmovable hold of their guardians.

"We don't allow your kind in our capital." Ava shifted in Nisroc's hold, "_Hunters _think they're so _entitled." _she looked up at her newly adopted guardian, "Can you believe this guy!" she waved her hand at the hunter who was adamant of one of them coming. He chuckled lightly, brushing his nose to hers, "Let him speak his piece." She huffed, crossing her arms under his hand, and he grasped her wrists lightly, turning to let the hunter continue on insulting them as though they weren't standing there to hear it.

The younger hunter set a hand on the other's shoulder when it became clear that he was not going to sway two stubborn young Nephilim with their guardians right there with them, and it silences him, they make no mistake about it, intending to have their own angel follow them on their trek.

The two guardians stay with their charges for the rest of the night, though they would prefer to make the trek with them, they do have duties to attend to in Heaven, and intend to keep an eye on their girls while they are on their adventures.

…

Iaso looked up at her father, her head resting on his chest, "Will you miss me?"

He smiled down at her, kissing her nose lightly, as he had done in the library some time ago, "Always."

It caused her to smile at him, scrunching up her nose, and turned to lay her head back down on his chest. He hummed deep in his chest, it was a listless humming, that followed it tune of its own and it was something she missed every time he left, but she was comforted that he would be back.

"Why do you hum?"

"Because it fills in the silence where words are not needed."

"I like it", she smiled when a hand pet her wild curls back, and warm lips press to her forhead, "I'm happy you like it."

He scratched at her temple lightly, and then down to her back, and she sighed in comfort at the feeling, and he pulled the blanket up around her shoulders, "Go to sleep, my little daughter, you have quite a journey before you."

…

"Thank you for claiming me." She laid close to his side, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder, his arm was curled around her neck, their fingers intertwined on her chest and he was rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, "Thank you for accepting."

Ava turned to smile up at him and he returned it in kind, a bearded chin rubbing against her forehead as he pressed his lips there, her fingers tightened around his.

"I like you."

"Thank you?" he chuckled lightly and his chest shook beside her at the sound of it, "I am quite fond of you too."

"You're so much better then my real dad." She looked down, curling her head closer to his neck, "He'd never do this with me." His arm curled around her and pulled her in closer to his side, "You real father is a horrible man. He did not deserve you. Not by a long shot." He tucked her completely into his side, "Don't even think about him. You are my charge now, He has no say over you any longer."

"He can't come back and try to claim me again?"

"Not without the councils approval, no, he cannot."

She smiled at those words, cuddling closer to him, not moving when he reached to pull the blanket up around her, as she was already half asleep.

"Sleep will, my little one."

…

Raphael adjusted the goggles on his daughters head and kissed her nose, as he was so fond to do, it always brought a smile to her face and he would do anything that brought a smile to her face. She smiled at the action, just as he knew she would, and looked down to adjust the cuffs to her jean jacket and the straps to her rucksack.

"You promise to call for me if you need me."

"Come on dad." She reached for the side pocket of the rucksack she wore, reaching for a pair of sunglasses, he snagged her by the chin turning her back around to face him, "I mean it, Iaso."

"Yes, Sir."

He smiles, kissing her on the nose once more, and she smiles again, "Good."

Behind them, his daughters friend is having much of the same with her newly adopted guardian, she tucked his seal under her shirt and adjusted the straps of her own rucksack in similar fashion to the teenager behind her. Nisroc adjusts the leather jacket he had gifted her on his third visit, tucking it close around her, as if to ensure she would be warm in the autumn air.

"All you must do is call my name," he cradled her cheeks, "Only my name. And I will be there. In a heartbeat."

"But don't you like…Have things you have to do…?"

"You always come first." He rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks, "Always."

She smiled and he returned the smile in kind "And please try and stay out of troubles way, I don't have many years on my life left."

"Dude, isn't he," she gestured towards the Healer with her thumb, "Older then you are?"

He kissed her on the temple, "Yes, yes he is."

"Then you can't be that old man." She looked him over "I don't even see many grays."

The Power chuckled, pulling her into his chest by the shoulders, "Oh, I don't have _any _grays."

"I don't know, dude, I think I see a few."

"Keep going and I'll show you how many grays I have."

She laughed softly, hugging closely to his chest, "I promise to call you if I need you."

The two girls quickly parted from their guardians, taking the stairs together, gushing about the last few days and the advancement of their time here, until they disappeared in the stairs leading to the entrance above, and only then did their guardians turn the Messenger with fire in their eyes.

Nisroc knows his place, and simply stands for crossing his arms, but its the Healer who is able to step forward, his own arms crossed, "I am trusting you with my only daughter on this trek." The Messenger nodded his head in surprise at the proximity of his older brother, "She and her friend had better make it to their capital and back in one piece."

"Of course, Raph, what did you think I would do?" the Messenger laughed though a bit nervously, "Leave them half way there."

"I don't want to take such a low blow," the Captain rubbed a hand over his chin, "But it's a habit you do have."

It as a low blow, but he understood it, and he nodded as he looked down to his feet, "I won't let you down this time."

"Good."

…

"I think we should make camp here for the night."

They had been walking some time now, making it to the county line, and Gabriel stopped at the foot of a rather tall boulder. On top, they looked down at him, the two teenagers, and Iaso looked down at him from where she stepped over the edge of the large rock they stood on, "What?"

"I said." He called up to them, "That we should make camp here for the night."

"We can keep moving," She shook her head, "We can make it through the next county before making camp."

"I'm _saying _we make camp now."

"And _I'm _saying we keep going."

He knew that there was a standoff pending, and he pulled the only card he knew he had in his arsenal, "We can call your dad down here and see what he says."

The Healer's daughter jumped down from the boulder, and she stood before him with petulantly crossed arms, but he stood firm on his stand of the matter and crossed his own arms, "Wanna see what he has to say about it?"

"Are…" She narrowed her eyes slightly, "Are you threatening to tell my dad on me?"

Her friend laughed behind her, stepping up to stand at the Messenger's side, "I agree with him, Ia', let's make camp here."

The other Nephilim huffed but nodded in defeat, turned to claim a spot against the boulder, throwing her bag down beside her and began to ruffle through it for a book she had been given from her father to read during down time on their long trek to the ancient world.

Ava tossed her own bag down next to her friends, Iaso was angry now but she would soon get over it, that was just how she worked, and dug through it for her ipod and headphones, she would jam out if they were going to be setting up camp here for the night.

A frown creased her features when the battery symbol indicated that it was dead, and she turned to look at her silent friend as she read from her book.

"'Aso, think you could give me a recharge?"

Without looking up, the other girl nodded, and raised a finger up for the electronic in her friends hand. There was a bright spark, like a bite of static electricity, and the battery was instantly charged. Ava smiled as she plugged in her headphones, "Thanks frand."

They were used to making up camps on the trek to the ancient city, and typically wrappped tight in their coats, and used their packs as pillows as they slept peacefully unawares wherever they had stopped to make camp that moment. But their uncle seemed to have another idea of what camping was like, not much different, but it differed from theirs.

The Messenger snapped up a fire pit and quickly lit the blaze.

He snapped up three rather thick sleeping bags and pillows.

And nodded to himself at a job well done in regards to the camp he'd set up.

…

Entering the ancient city was amazing, the Messenger had never seen such brillance before, and he lives in _Heaven_. The arches of the entrance are plated in gold and gems, the path of fine and paved with brilliant sandstone, and as they walk through the crowd in the market district the others eyes turn to watch them step passed, and he smiles at every single one. Egyptian deities watch them as they pass by their temples, and only one falls in step with them, Anubis smiles in greeting, his great iron staff clanging against the sandstone path as they walk towards the temple that houses their capital.

"One of the outcasts have managed to been captured."

Iaso nods at him and Ava just bobs her head, her headphone still in her ears blaring the sound of music from them that it would not come as a surprise if she were to fall deaf in the near future.

The Egyptian deity elbows her in the side, and Iaso turns to glare up at him as she rubs at the sore spot from where he'd plowed his elbow.

"What?"

"When were you gonna tell me?" his grin is contagious and soon she's smiling with him, "Tell you what?"

"You _know _what!" he curls an arm around her shoulders, "You know, this technically makes you my younger sister, adopted of course, somewhere in the fine print, but a younger sister none the less."

She giggles and elbows him in the side this time, "You're already like an annoying older brother." He grins at her again, squeezing her shoulder tightly, "I'm only fulfilling my duty."

"You didn't even know until, like, a minute ago!"

"Don't forget who granted you a temple to hold yourselves in, _baby _sister."

Iaso elbows him again, "I'm not a baby."

"Compared to me, you're like an infant, and compared to your dad, you're like….." he trailed off and stopped their caravan, "Man, I don't even know, he's _ancient_." The Messenger snorted in amusement and the deity's eyes widened at the realization that one of those beings was in his company, "Don't tell him I said that!"

"Oh, I'm gonna tell."

"Then I'll tell him that it was _you _that turned all of his ink into invisible ink, he was rather annoyed by it, wasn't he?" Gabriel turned to look at him in horror, "You wouldn't _dare_." The Egyptian smirked, "Try me." They ended at a truce and the Messenger muttering to himself about traitorous Principalities.

He walked with them for some time, through the districts, nodding to the others as he passed them, until, again, he came to a stop just at the entrance of the temple they had been granted under his jurisdiction. Anubis was known for his kind heart and his compassion.

"You know you're being followed, right?"

The three of them nodded.

"Good, just wanted to be sure."

And he left them there, squeezing the Healer's daughter's shoulder as he parted, promising to speak with her later. They entered into the temple, and in the doorway they were soaked in ancient Egyptian magic, it cascaded over them like a waterfall, and it stopped the archangel short.

Iaso looked back at him, "It's a revealing spell. Removes any glamour's that one might place on themselves. Shows your true form."

His eyes widened, "But my true for—"

Ava scoffed and elbowed him in the arm lightly, having since pulled her headphones out and tucked them back in her pocket, "Relax, dude, you won't go all giant form on us, it'll reveal your wings at the most." She turned to murmur to her friend, "As though we'd need those to tell he was an _archangel_." And Iaso nodded in agreement. It seemed to calm her uncle though, and allowed them to continue on, some sneered at them, more so at the short girl with the purple tips than anyone else, and Gabriel wondered why.

"Why do they-?"

"They don't know she's been reclaimed.", Iaso turned to look at her uncle, "Being disowned makes your worthless, less then the dirt on your shoe, it's up to her whether or not she tells them otherwise."

"Or, Nisroc catches wind of her treatment and comes to investigate himself."

"Yes," she nodded "or that."

As they walked through the temple, he took the time to look around, spotting the carts of goods that were to be needed, blacksmiths pounding away at weapons for them, children of choir angels sung in the peaceful atmosphere and their voices were just as hypnotizing as their parents. One was plucking the dead buds off a rose bush, and it stopped him short, there was Gardener in Heaven that he knew about, and to think..

"Who is that?"

Ava turned to look at who he was indicating, and smiled, "Oh, that's Tyler, Joshua's son, he visits him a lot."

Two girls, identical in appearance down to the very last freckle shared between them, ran up to meet them grinning excitedly, hugging the Captain's newly adopted child with vigor, and Gabriel turned to his niece.

"Layla and Lola, identical twins, daughters of Haniel." She stopped him before he asked, "No use trying to tell them apart, the only one who can is their dad."

The two girls grabbed the other by the arms, "Ava! We heard!" the other picked up where her sister left off, "Did he give you his seal?" Ava smiled, tugging the seal out from under her shirt and showed it to them proudly, it made the archangel smile, it would warm Nisroc's heart to see her face as it was now brandishing his seal. "Girl!" "You deserve it!" "Dad knew he was gonna do it!" "He talks about you, like, all the time!" "You old dad can suck it! "He's so much nicer!"

Ava laughed at them, seemingly following along with the sort of practiced ease that was needed when it came to paying attention to the two of them, and the twins turned to bow to the archangel in their party, before hurrying off on their way.

She tucked the seal back away and they kept moving, the two of them introducing Nephilim to the Messenger as they passed them by, heading for the main room, the war room, as it had been dubbed. There was a prisoner there that needed to be interrogated, any information they could gather was useful information, and they ducked into the dim room with silence until they were called upon.

Avery nodded to them, bowing to the archangel that accompanied them, "It Is unusual to have an archangel in our midst." He turned an inquisitive eye to the two girls with him, Iaso raised her hand slightly, "He's my uncle."

The room stopped at once.

"You're the daughter of an _archangel_?"

"Raphael." She pulled the charm she wore around her neck up for all to see, "It's his seal." They had been working for some time to crack what it meant, but for it to be the seal of an archangel, it was extraordinary, "The third born."

The male Nephilim bowed his head in respect, "As is our way, you are rightful to take place as leader of our kind."

She waved the offer away, "I think I'll pass, I like being a scout, these rooms are really stuffy."

Avery smiled, the older Nephilim nodding in agreement, "We have one in our custody."

Iaso's friend stepped up, twirling the Captain's seal between her fingers, "Give me three minutes with them."

"Granted."


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Another belated Christmas update here! Gonna get more here soon, I promise! Just gotta get passed New Year and we're straight on!**

**Reviews: **

**cutecookielove: ANUBIS! He's my fav guy so he's definitely gonna be here! He's such a great guy, of course he'd give them a temple and adopt Raph's daughter as his sister! Ava is so sweet and she deserves all the good things! Haniels girls make more appearances, and you should see them when their with their dad, it's hilarious, he's such a worry wart parent too and its hiliarious too! Like father like son, right, apple doesn't fall too far from the tree (see what i did there, get it, cause their gardeners, anyway) adn their cute together too! All the angels who claim and love their kids are cute with them, even the ones who are meant to be big and tough are big softies with their kids, I mean, look at Nisroc and Haniel. **

**Robin0203: Our girl's a beast man!**

* * *

The Power knew as soon as he saw his Captain coming down the hall, the smile that graced his features, that could be seen even with his head tilted down as it was, that he had done what was intended to do. Haniel fell in step beside him, and Nisroc raised his head slightly to meet his gaze in greeting, and they walked a bit in silence.

"You did it," the Power smiled as he bent his head forward in an attempt to capture his gaze wholly, "You claimed her?"

His Captain smiled wider and nodded, holding out the empty box to him, "I did."

"Do you regret it?"

Nisroc finally looked up, the same light shining in his eyes that shone in the others when he talked to them of his daughters doings, and he shook his head in the negative, "Never. Not in a single moment."

He laughed, patting him on the shoulder, "You know what that means, don't you?" the Captain raised an eyebrow, "You have a daughter now, whether you use the title or not, she's yours and you are hers."

"I never saw it that way."

"It's a great club to be in." Haniel looked down to the path they walked on, "My daughters are my pride and joy." He smiled at his older brother, "I have no doubt that she will be yours as well, Paul and Sasha most certainly are, and they're not even yours."

"They are mine where it counts."

"Aren't they all?"

They walked down the Axis together, others parting in their wake, and the Captain turned to look at his younger brother, "How do you do it, Haniel, being apart from their side?"

"Very carefully, there is always a part of me that wishes to be with them with every step, it's a rather strong part, but I know that I have duties here as well, and they knew the same." He peered up at him, "So when we get to spend the time together that we do, it makes it just that much more special, never taken for granted." He stared his Captain right in the eyes, coming to a halt, "But if it came down to following your order or standing for my children, I will pick them _every _time."

"I loathed to leave her," he nodded in agreement to the others comment, he too would drop everything if his adopted child called for him, it was just the way of being a parent to one so cherished in their hearts "She means the world to me."

"Don't all children?" Haniel made a face, remembering who the one in questions true father was, and was quick to amend, "Don't all children with parents who care for them?", yes, that sounded better to his ears.

Nisroc fell silent as he turned to look through leather belts, needing a new one for himself, and was quick in finding the one he needed, and turned back to his brother, "Just thinking of what that monster must have done to her, it makes me sick to my stomach, my blood boils at the thought of it."

"In the same way it did when you met Sasha?"

"The very same."

He pat his brother on the stomach so suddenly he drew a huff of surprise from him, "Welcome to parenthood. Where you're going to be driven crazy by your children and love them endlessly nonetheless."

…

The Healer was looking over some charts when his Captain confronted him on the matter at hand, he would later blame Gabriel, who was a blabber mouth, and then place it on Zaveriel, who was always trying to get one up on the Healer for some reason that only the wily little messenger knew and none had figured out just yet.

Oren stood before him, rolling back and forth on the balls of his feet, eyes staring unblinkingly at the one who had raised him since fledglinghood, and always had something new to teach him nearly everyday since, so much so that he could not ignore it any longer and finally looked up to meet his gaze, only then did he blink.

"So, when were you going to share?"

"Share what?", He lifted his chin in warning, it went unheeded, "I do not have to share my doings with you, _baby brother_."

Oren shook his head a tad harshly, and it took the Healer by surprise by the meaning behind the shaking, "No. You do not get to hold this one to yourself," he leaned forward, arms coming to cross over his chest, "When were you going to share that you have a daughter?" he took on a look of awe that was somewhat offending to the archangel in question, "I mean, _you_, you of all angels, to father a child!" he threw his hands up dramatically, "I've seen _everything _now."

"Is it truly that unbelievable that I would have a daughter."

He immediately regretted to taking the bait that was clearly being hung before his eyes, and he closed his eyes in resignation as the others widened in surprise, "He didn't mention that it was a daughter."

"I'm guessing on who shared this rather private information and my first two don't count."

Oren waved it away, "You have a _daughter."_ His eyes widened comically as he looked down to his arms crossed over his chest, "Oh my Father, I have a little sister."

"I told her you would consider her as such, though, I don't think she believed me."

"Why wouldn't she believe that?"

It was a sad truth that he dropped for his Captains knowledge, "Most of the Nephilim remain unclaimed. Ignored by the parent who sired them."

"That's despicable. Who would sire a child and ignore it as though they meant nothing."

"Animals." He turned his attention back to his charts a moment later, riffling through them carefully as he looked in on the patients he decided to take on as his own for the time being, they were particularly in rough shape and needed the steady hand and the knowledge that he could provide.

"Can I meet her?"

He peered up over his charts, eyes meeting his Captains for a long moment, as if silently testing him on his worthiness of such a thing.

"Yes, you may meet her, I have a trip planned for the ancient city to visit with Anubis, I have no doubts we will run into one another while there."

…

Michael smiled at his Captain's change, there was something lighter in his step, and he chuckled at the knowledge for this change, he had grown rather fond of that Nephilim child he had claimed and it showed in everything he did.

Claiming a Nephilim was something akin to adopting a child, and he was taking it in stride, he always took to his charges to heart completely and this time was no different.

…

The Healer was minding his own, humming to fill that silence that needn't be filled with needless talking, reading through the charts that had made their way to his desk some way throughout the day as his thoughts took him back to the week that had been shared between them. He knew it was Oren's doing, he never liked handling the paperwork of the Patients they handled, and he would do this part and get his revenge on the other at a later time.

They all needed checking up on.

He'd get him then.

The Healer was never one to be crossed, he knew far too much in accordance to getting back, and thus did not fall victim to many pranks that the younger generations were prone to playing. All but one, and he got his in return, it was a competition of sorts between the pair of them.

His daughter hadn't even tried to get one over on him just yet, and he knew that there would come a day that she would try, and he would wait for that day to come on bated breath. In his opinion though, her friend was more likely to attempt one over on Nisroc before his own daughter came at him, it was in her personality. And he knew for fact that the Captain would return the favor in kind, and should she ever meet his other charges, there would be Hell to pay between the three of them against him. He would hold his own though, he had for some time against Paul and Sasha, much like he had with Zaveriel himself, it was a competition at this point.

A shadow stepped passed his window, and he turned to watch it, following it as it wandered out back. Quickly he stood, tossing the charts aside, to hurry to the back entrance to his Infirmary, and caught the one sneaking passed by the ear and pulled them into the dimly lit Infirmary.

There were nights that he had his luck in getting one over on the Healer.

Tonight, was not one of those nights.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Hey all! I'm back with more for ya!**

The boy looked up as the door to his cell opened and their interrogator walked in, and he laughed at her appearance, everyone whether it be on their side or not knew when one was disowned, and Ava steeled her nerves at his taunts as she gripped the Power's seal in her fingers. She knew that she was wanted, that she had someone she belonged to, and that was enough for her. It was for nobody else to know but her, and most certainly not someone by the likes of him, he was a traitor to his own race.

"They sent a _disowned_?" he snorted in amusement, "Is that they best they can do?"

She ignored him, turning for the instruments on the corner table, looking them over as though to select the right one for the job.

"What are _you _going to do, _abomination_?"

Ava grit her teeth and spun around, "So you know, the one who rejected me was Heaven's _torturer_, he may have been a bag of shit but he did teach me a few things." She grabbed his chin tightly, forcing his head back to stare at her, "I don't even need to _touch _you to get what I want." She nicked a cut under his chin and stepped back, nicking her own hand in return, "By the time I'm _done _you'll know who the _abomination _is."

She drew a rune on her hand and raised it, taking a deep breath, she called out the words that her father had when he tried to take his grace from her all that time ago. It was torturous enough that none of those tools were needed, it was like having your soul ripped in two, and it would have anyone screaming for mercy within the first forty seconds.

…

Iaso spared her uncle a glance and leaned forward, setting a hand on the table that Avery sat before, "Are you sure it's a good idea to let her do this?" she spared him another glance, "It's not healthy."

"It may not be, but she is the only one that gets the best results."

"It's taking advantage of a situation that shouldn't be taken advantage of."

"If you have something better in mind, _archangel's _daughter," Avery gave her a hard look, sparing the Messenger a look from over her shoulder, and returned to meet her gaze head on, "Then I'm all ears."

She huffed in annoyance, backing down from in ensuring argument that was sure to be had again, if her dad and Nisroc were here this would never have been allowed to pass, but then, they would have probably of gained the same results with less violent methods.

The Healer's daughter nodded once, harshly, and turned to take her uncle by the arm, "We're going to see the ancient city, but we'll be back." He knew when to put his two cents in and when not to, so he withheld from telling them that he's seen the ancient city plenty of times and let himself be dragged out into the bright sunshine outside the bustling temple.

He walked with her in silence as they passed vendors and stalls, it made him miss home somewhere deep in his heart at the sight of them, stopping to get a bowl of papaya, before continuing on their way.

"Niece," she nodded as he addressed her, his call of such a title giving way to how serious he was being, and she spared him a look of further acknowledgement, "What was that all about?"

Iaso kicked a stone, watching it bounce over the smooth stone path, "They take advantage that her real dad was Heaven's torturer." She turned to look up at him as she took a bite, "It's not fair to her. They treat her like she's nothing and expect her to work for them when they demand it."

"So, she tortures them?"

She nodded, "And every time they ask her to, she comes out of it all quiet and forlorn and they don't even care." She stopped and he stopped with her, turning to meet her gaze when she turned to him imploringly "He tortured her, Uncle Gabriel, when he met her for the first and last time, he tortured her. And now they force her to live that life, she doesn't even fight it anymore, she takes it on willingly because it's better than arguing against it." The Messenger could see that his young niece was distraught for her friend, and rightfully so, so he pulled her into a careful hug for a moment, allowing her the privacy of his shoulder to pull herself back together again.

She would cry about it later, most probably in his brother's arms, but for now she would shed a few tears and then swallow them again.

"You should tell Nisroc this."

"I don't want him to look at her differently."

"He won't." he rubbed a stray tear away and gestured for her to walk with him towards the temple of Anubis on the far-right side, "Did you know, that in heaven, Thaddeus was granted a fledgling to raise." He had known of his brother's planned visit to the ancient city for some time now and he knew that she needed the care only a parent could offer at the moment, given to her vulnerable state and her distress to her friends predicament. He told her about Sashael, about how he had been the first few months under the Power's care, clinging to him and so shy it had caused more concern then not, and how he had opened up to them all under his mindful caring, and now he was sharing top of his class with his best of friends, Akeelah.

Anubis was standing in the middle of his temple, the main chamber, staring at a portrait of himself on the wall. His arms crossed lightly, finger tapping against his lips, he turned to look at their appearance in his domain and smiled in greeting, taking in the dour mood almost instantly, he pulled the Nephilim into his side like any good older sibling would. He knew of how the others used her little partner in crime for her blood heritage, and it always rubbed her the wrong way, there was only so much one could take before they boiled over, and with the war they were currently raging the last thing they needed was the child of an archangel boiling over.

She giggled and curled her arm around his lower back, "Do think this portrait makes me look more dog then humanoid?" he felt her curls brush against his arm as she turned to look up at him incredulously, and he turned to grin down at her, winking over her shoulder to the Messenger.

"_What?_"

"No seriously, take a good look at it, I think it makes me look more like a dog than anything else."

"Maybe?" she smiled up at him, the distraction working for the moment, smiling innocently, "Do you ever get fleas?"

"Once!" he threw his head back in exasperation, "I got them _once_!" the Egyptian bent over and bit into her neck in a teasing manner, eliciting a small shriek and her to jump away from him, as best as she could with his arm keeping her in place, "But I've been more known to bite people quite a few times."

"You'd best not bite my daughter more than once though."

They both turned to look over their shoulders at the new voice, smiling at the sight of the Healer standing next to the Messenger, leaning heavily on his staff. He smiled at the godling, nodding in greeting, and opened his arms for his daughter. Iaso smiled, her troubles forgotten for a moment, as she rushed forward to hug her father closely. He hugged her just as close, resting his chin on her curls, and pulled away only slightly to peer at her face, and concern set over his features, "What is the matter?" he rubbed the pad of his thumb under her right eye, "You've been crying."

There was no hesitation, she told him everything, with all of them there to lay witness to the actions that were placed upon an innocent Nephilim such as Ava Browne, and he shushed her, pulling her back into his embrace when her emotions overtook her. He turned to the one on his right, the Captain who had wanted to so meet his daughter, "Iaso, come, this is Oren, he wanted to meet you quite terribly so."

"Hello Little Healer," the Virtue kissed the back of her hand in greeting, and she smiled to him at the action. He passed his young daughter over to his Captain and turned to his brother, "Gabriel, show me to this captive. I must agree, little miss Ava should not be doing such things."

The Messenger nodded, guiding his brother out of the temple, the Healer turned to look over his shoulder, "I will be back Anubis." He spared the portrait a look, "And it does make you look more like a dog." Anubis barked a laugh and waved them away, turning as a servant came up for his attention.

…

"Avery?" the older boy looked up at the sound of his name, bowing to the archangel in his presence, "Semyaza's boy, right?"

"Yes sir."

The Archangel raised his hand, bringing the boy back to his feet again, Avery nodded and stepped down from the head table to greet him in person. Behind him, the others slowly approached, he noted Iaso deep in conversation with another man, her smile was as dazzling as the stars, and the conversation seemed to be a good one.

"Show me where this boy is." Raphael tightened his grip on his staff, "I will gather the information you need. There is no need for torture."

Avery nodded at the gentle command of one of the gentlest of archangels, and led him to the door where they kept their captured prisoners, he rolled up his sleeves and tapped the door with the end of his staff.

"Give me two minutes with the child, I will get you what you desire."

No one denied an angel, especially a Nephilim, and doubly especially so for an archangel's order and the nephilim boy knocked on the door. It was thrown open, Ava looked enraged, though her eyes were filled with tears, "I'm done! You hear me! _Done! _Find another way to gather your intel!" she pushed through them and walked off. They watched her go, her shoulders quivering as if she were silently crying, Raphael turned over his shoulder, "Oren, go fetch Nisroc." The Captain behind him gave a soft whine, "Yes you may return here afterwards." There was a soft flutter of wings and he was gone, he heard his daughter give a sad sigh, "He'll come back."

"Like I said," The Archangel walked in on his own violation, "Two minutes."

He closed the door behind him, sighing at the sneering remarks from the young man chained to the chair. They all heard the rattling of the chains, a muffled protest, and a sharp resounding _whap. _Two minutes to the exact mark that he said, the door opened, the Archangel stepped out fixing his sleeves in silence. They all peered in at the captive, eyebrows raising at the fellow Nephilim chained inside the room sniffling miserably and rubbing at his bottom pitifully.

Iaso looked up at her uncle, "Did he?"

Her uncle, Gabriel, grimaced and nodded, "Oh, he did, and with his staff too." There came a low whistle behind them, "Ouch."

The Healer turned to spare the boy a look from over his shoulder, "And I _will_ be telling your father about this, Avon."

"No!" the outcast held up a hand in protest, "Don't tell my da—"

The Healer shut the door before he could finish his protest. He relayed the information he gathered to the nephilim in charge, and Iaso turned to look up at her uncle, "He wouldn't…..To _me_?"

Oren returned, curling an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side, "I remember the first time he ever did that to me." He shook his head in sympathy, "Didn't sit right for a week, let me tell you, poor kid." He smiled down to the nephilim he had pressed to his side, "He would never with you though. Not with the staff anyway. Just," he poked her in the side, "Don't give him a reason to." She nodded seriously, watching her father talk to Avery on whatever was gained from his version of interrogation.

…

Ava kicked a rather large rock out of her way, bent over with her hand buried in her pockets, grumbling under her breath about the unfairness of it all. The words he managed had cut deep, and she twirled the seal of her new guardian between her fingers.

"Mind if I join you?", arms curled around her waist and pulled her back into a strong chest behind her, "You seem to have much on your mind."

"Who even called you!"

"A little birdie, you could say," he rested his chin on top of her head, "Told me you had some things on your mind."

"They look at me like I'm dumb! Like…Like I'm useless!"

"You are far from useless."

"I just…I don't like what they make me do…"

"Then why do you allow them to force you?"

"I don't know….I just wanna be useful…..You know…What else am I good for?"

"You have many good qualities to share then allowing them to force you to torture people."

"How did you know?" she turned to look up at him and he smiled down at her, kissing her nose lightly, "That little birdie told me a bit more then you'd think." She turned in his arms, hugging herself tightly to his chest, "You're the best, Nis." His arms tightened around her, pulling her in close, "Don't let them bring you to tears, my little one," he wiped under her eyes, bushing away the sight of the tears, "They are not worth it."

She leaned forward against his chest, listening to the thrum of his grace beating under his skin, he rubbed a large hand down the side of her head. Seeing that the tension was not going to leave her willingly, the Power stuck to his next tactic, pinching her sides lightly until she jumped, and he smiled down at her when she turned to look up at him.

"Show me the ancient city, my little one, I've never seen it in the way you have?"

Ava clutched at his tunic with both hands, "You want me to show you around?"

"Who else would I ask?"

"Oh, my Granddad!" she tugged him forward, "Yes! Of course, I'll show you around!"


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: You my doods! I'm back again, it's been a while hasn't it, how ya'll doing!**

**Reviews: **

**cutecookielove: Anubis is the best puppy there ever was! Him and Iaso have a great relation ship, you see more of it! Ava's had it rough for sure but now she's got Nis and he's the bestest and treats everyone so good, especially those he claims as his own. Oren's hilarious! He's rather playful but in a calm so of way, Raphael sees that side of him more then anyone else does for obvious reasons, all four Legions are rather down to earth and playful in their own ways, knowing when the time calls to be serious and when it isnt. Hahahahahah! Im glad you like it that much! All three mixing together makes the perfect cocktail! **

**Robin0203: They're moments are so cute! Honestly, they give me feels, and I write the moments lol! Of course he did, Raph's a 'spoil the child spare the rod' kind of guy! He doesn't need to torture, especially children, he knows how to handle them without leaving any lasting damage.**

* * *

"What did he say?"

"Never you mind what he said."

"Dad!" Iaso whined, hopping a step as they walked, turning to look up at her father with wide curious eyes. The Archangel smiled fondly and scratched the back of her neck, as they walked side by side down the stone lane behind the temples, it was less crowded and allowed them to walk as freely as they pleased. He curled his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side, and she curled her arm his lower back, fingers clutching at the back of his tunic. "I'm gonna find out anyway!"

"I know you will." He kissed the side of her head. "But it won't be from me."

She huffed in slight irritation but let it go, having someone being protective of her was still something she was getting used to, and they both knew it would take some time. But she loved having someone to call her dad, loved being able to call on someone for help and them to come because they weren't obligated to but because they loved her enough to do so, and loved having someone who she could curl into when things got too rough and they overpowered her emotions.

"Can you at least give me a hint?"

"If you ask me again," his fingers squeezed her arm lightly, "I will give you a hint of something."

First, she had assumed he meant the same thing that had been done to Avon, and fell silent for a moment, until she took in the playful tone in his voice.

A smile came over her and she raised her hands in her own defense. "Okay, okay, I won't ask again."

They walked in silence for a bit, stepping up a flight of stairs, and around a stone bench planted just on the edge of the lane. Their destination being where she called home while in the ancient city, they stepped up another flight of stone steps, turning down the side alley of two temples standing side by side. Raphael recognized the temple they turned into and turned to look down at his daughter in surprise, she didn't turn to meet his gaze until he brought them to a sudden halt.

"You stay in Anubis's temple?"

Iaso turned to look up and meet his gaze, nodding slightly at his surprise, smiling a mischievous smile.

"Yep." She tugged him forward once more. "We hit it off really well when we first met, and he offered me a room, I accepted his offer."

"Second best decision I've ever made."

The god in question stood just before them, before the steps that climbed up to his throne, with his hands resting lightly on his hips. He smiled at their approach and stepped down from his position to meet them at the bottom.

Iaso tilted her head slightly. "_Second _best?" the tall, toned Egyptian turned to look at her as she spoke. "What's the _first_?"

"Well", he gestured to the archangel she pressed herself again, "Staying on your dad's good side, of course." He shivered slightly, a bit playfully, and the Healer huffed in fond exasperation. "I've felt his displeasure personally. It's not something I'm keen on meeting again."

"Oh." She nodded absently, going cross-eyed as she tried to catch a stray curl and tuck it back behind her ear, or at least, get it out of her eyes. "I didn't like being beaten either."

"_What_?"

They spoke it at the same time, nearly in perfect sync, her father went as stiff as a board and the Egyptian stood up straighter. She looked up at their speaking in unison, blowing the curl away instead, looking between both of them in confusion, the shining in their eyes having taken on a different light.

Iaso looked first to Anubis. "What?" and then to her father. "Did I say something wrong?"

"He doesn't….." The Egyptian was confused, uneased at what his young friend had said. "Raph doesn't _beat _people." He seemed shocked by the unintended admission, his arms slowly straightening out at his sides, eyes shooting from her up to the archangel beside her. "He doesn't…. I don't.….. What does…._ What_?"

"Iaso." The Healer passed his staff to the Egyptian as he turned, his hands curling around her face as he turned to face her, tilting her head up to look at him, "My daughter, you've been _beaten_?"

The Nephilim shrugged, as though it was a matter of no matter, not understanding this strong reaction to it. She had expected Anubis to understand, having been on the other end of one himself. "Well. Yea. Anubis has been too."

There was a darkness, a possible anger, that radiated off the Egyptian. "I've never been _beaten_." He gave a soft huff, looking away from her for a moment.

"_Leave us."_

The movement around the throne room came to a sudden halt, eyes turning to look at their deity in surprise at the suddenness of the command, and they hurried out of the throne room as was the command given, the guards at the door pulled the thick wooden doors closed behind them as they stationed themselves outside to stand before them. Anubis muttered to himself as he turned, gesturing over his shoulder for them to follow, and climbed up the flight of stairs to his throne and completely thrown by what had been said.

Raphael turned to follow him, if only because the irate Egyptian still had his staff, and held a hand out for his daughter to step up before him, Iaso looked confused at their reactions but turned to follow, nonetheless. The deity leaned the ornate staff against the side of his throne and sat beside it, stretching his arm down the armrest, he pat the spot next to him.

"Come on, sit, this things like a freaking bench."

She sat next to him, her hands resting in her lap.

"Explain this to me." The jackal deity waved his hand in a rowing motion. "What do you mean that you _'didn't like being beaten'_?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, I didn't like being beaten either, I don't blame you for avoiding it."

"But _I've _never been beaten." Anubis shook his head rather forcibly. "And _especially _by your dad."

His young friend, adopted sibling one could even say, still looked confused. So, he elaborated his meaning.

"Okay, move along with me, alright?" he waited until Iaso nodded. "_Beating _is the _sole_ intention to cause harm. It is striking one without remorse. No comfort afterwards. No explanations. Only to cause another harm. Nothing _good _comes from it." Anubis turned to look down at her. "You following me?" Iaso nodded quietly, her bright electric blue eyes staring at him inquisitively, and he spared the girls father a glance. There was a devastation in those twin colored eyes, as though his mind couldn't comprehend what she had said, that someone would dare lay a hand on her meaning her harm.

Anubis had a hard time grasping it himself. He had begun to see the young Nephilim as a sibling of sorts though out their time together, when they got to joke around with each other, and even more so now that he knew who her parent was. He didn't have parents himself, being one of the original deities, but the archangel had taken over a parental role that had been missing and others hadn't the nerve to try and take over him.

"Okay, so, what your dad does," he gestured for the archangel on her other side, "Is _punish_. He teaches a lesson, when all else fails, and he does so with love in his heart. He's gentle, but firm, and explains _everything_ as for it's reason of happening. It's never too much, his intent isn't to cause _harm, _and _always _cares for you after. He comforts you and helps clean you up when you cry yourself hoarse. What he does is _guidance_, especially for the particularly hardheaded, like me, to _teach _a lesson that nothing else was teaching you. You still following me?"

Iaso nodded, "And Avon?"

"Especially Avon." She turned to look at her father when he knelt at her side, squeezing her knee lightly. "I never intend to cause harm. Anubis is correct, I only mean to guide, I, myself, was raised on the same principle. Sometimes children, or fledglings," he squeezed her knee again fondly "need a bit more tough love then others."

Anubis sighed next to her. "What did you mean when you said _'beaten', _little sister?"

Iaso looked over at him at his call of such a title, tilting her head to the side in curiousness, then glanced over her shoulder at her dad, both of them waited patiently for her to tell her story. What little of it there was.

"Well," she began, "I grew up in a patriarchal tribal village in Africa, ancient Africa, in _Africa_. The elders decided when actions needed punished, they had this cane, and whenever they decided that your action needed rectified, they'd take you to the center of the village, strip you, and smack you with the cane." She shrugged lightly. "I didn't think much of it as I was growing up, even if it seemed that the girls in the village got into more trouble then the boys did, it was just normal. They'd hit you until you went limp and then your parent would take you back home."

Raphael looked concerned, reaching a hand up to caress her cheek. "Were you caned, my little Iaso?"

Again, she shrugged, as if it wasn't as big of a deal as they were making it out to be. "A bit." The Nephilim looked down to her lap. "Mom tried to keep me out of their way, but then _things_ started happening, and they said I was cursed and so they took me and the cane and—"

"You were coming into your grace." The archangel finished for her, horror in his tone, eyes gazing at her in disbelief. "And they _beat _you because of it."

Iaso nodded, glancing over at her Egyptian friend when it began to sound as though he was growling under his breath. Immediately looking back around when a large warm hand gently tugged her to her feet, and he was enveloped in a warm embrace, sighing softly, she melted into the archangel's arms.

He apologized softly. "I am so sorry, my little daughter, had I known…." He shook his head. "I would never have let you come to harm."

"It's okay dad." She nuzzled into his chest lightly, savoring the warmth, enjoying the feeling of arms wrapped around her so securely. "It happened and it's done."

"It is far from okay, Iaso, you were harmed for something you could not control."

The Nephilim smiled against his chest, slowly managing to wind her arms around him in turn, resting her ear against his chest to listen to the rhythm of his heartbeat and the thrum of his grace running under the skin.

"But it's okay _now_, I have you now, and Ava."

"And me! Don't forget about me!"

She smiled slightly. "_And_ Anubis." She turned slightly to look at the Egyptian in question, he waved at her playfully. "And their dead now. So, it really doesn't matter."

She felt her father sigh deeply, his chest lifting and falling, and he rubbed fingers down the back of her neck. It was obvious to her that it had greatly displeased him, and it still did, but she was not one to dwell on the past and didn't want anyone else to either.

"I could bring them back?" Anubis raised his hand slightly, adjusting the position he had taken in his throne, stretching out into a more comfortable position. "I mean, death is sort of my area of expertise, I could do it." He clenched the hand he held up into a fist. "Kill them _again_?"

Her father sighed again, this time with a bit more exasperation, and she turned in his hold to look at the Egyptian with wide eyes.

"Let's _not _do that."

"I'm just offering. It's an option."

"It is not an option."

He shrugged lightly, leaning back against the back of his throne. "It is if I say it is." She shook her head. "It is _not _an option."

Her father's arms tightened around her, his voice rumbling from behind her, and she knew that it was directed to both of them when he called out. _"Children."_

…

"And this is the Market."

They walked side by side, fingers interwoven, their arms swinging back and forth lightly. There was an assortment of stalls around them, spreading up and down the stone lane, craftsman and keepers were straightening their goods and rearranging them into more pleasurable displays.

Passersby stepped around them on their way, not minding in the slightest their leisurely pace, those in the ancient city were nicer then most.

Ava had been leading him around for the better part of an hour and he hadn't made any mention of growing bored with her touring him around the ancient city, despite having seen it all already himself. He nodded to everything she said, humming in acknowledgement, and turned to look when she pointed things out. The Power took it all in, listening to her word for word, letting her lead him where ever she pleased to lead him.

Something caught his eye.

"Ava?" the teenager turned to look up at him at his call of her name. "Who might that be?"

She followed his gesture when he pointed slightly to a boy standing some stalls down, looking through different types of arrows, a long bow strung over his chest. He didn't stand very tall, his eyes were strikingly blue when they managed to catch a glance at them when he turned to look at the metal arrows hanging along the wooden pillar of the stall, dark toned and lean, she found the name after a long moment.

"That's Jordon."

"Do you know who his parent is?"

There was something about the boy that looked familiar, he recognized his features from somewhere, he'd seen those eyes in only one other person. But he wouldn't have thought him to be the type to ignore having a child of his own, and he'd never mentioned having a son to any of them, though there was also that possibility that he didn't know he had a son himself.

Ava shook her head. "Nope. He doesn't know who his parent is either." She pointed to the ring on his finger. "He does have a seal though. It's on the ring. We just don't know who it belongs to."

"A ring you say?" he looked down at her as though that particular bit of information was of great importance.

She looked up at him and nodded. "A ring." And then she shrugged lightly. "We think it was given to him by his human parent before their passing, like Iaso's mom gave her the archangel's." He stared at him a moment longer. "Why?" And turned to look down at his adopted daughter.

"No reason of real importance." He waved it away slightly with his free hand. "He merely looks like someone I know rather well."

"He does!" She turned to him with excitement shining in her eyes. "Really?" he raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly. "Would you know the seal if you saw it? He'd show you if you asked! He wants to know who his parent is too, he's tried figuring it out but always comes up empty handed, it'd be so great if you knew it!"

"I would know what his seal looks like, yes."

She beamed in excitement, and he yelped as he stumbled forward when she turned and bolted in the direction of the young man looking at the arrows in the stall, rushing through shoppers and passersby. The boy turned to them at their sudden approach, smiling to his charge in greeting, it was always a wonder to find out just how many people she knew. His eyes were breathtaking, a trait he had definitely inherited from his celestial parent, and he was sure he knew who the donor was.

The boy looked up at him in surprise, clearly his charge had not shared with the others that she had been reclaimed by another, and it was nothing against him, he knew, it was up to her whether or not she told anyone of their union.

"S-Sir?"

Nisroc only smiled in greeting, he didn't know the boy himself, and therefore was at a loss of what to say to him in polite greeting so he stuck to the safe route instead.

The female Nephilim holding his hand bounced excitedly. "Jordon! Jordon this is Nisroc! He's a Power!" She pulled the seal up from under her shirt and held it out. "He claimed me as his!"

The boy smiled at his friend. "Congratulations, Ava, you deserve it."

"He says you look like someone he knows!"

There was a quick inhale of breath, and those breathtaking eyes turned towards him again, filled with so much hope that it would break his heart if he got this wrong.

Jordon stared at him for a moment. "I…I do, sir?"

The Captain nodded softly. "You do." He looked down to his own charge. "Ava says you would be willing to show me the seal."

Jordon nodded quickly, stepping away from the stall, he held up his hand for him to see the ring on his finger. It was made of iron, clearly forged in the forges of Heaven, intwined with grace. He could see much from the simple making of the ring, the texture and material, and he knew of only one other that matched this one.

"How long have you had this?"

The Nephilim boy pulled his hand back, running a finger over the seal forged into the metal. "Since I was young. My mom gave it to me when I turned of age. She said it would protect me." He looked up to the Power with hope. "Do you know the seal?"

Hesitantly, the Power nodded, there was no mistaking it now. He knew who this boy belonged too, and he had doubts that the other knew of his having a son, he would not think his brother would be the type to refuse acknowledging one of his own, especially a fledgling of his own making. But there was no mistaking it; not with the seal, not with the color of his eyes, not with his weapon of choice being a bow and arrows. The similarity was too strong to be only that of a coincidence.

"Can you…Can you tell me?"

That was the question he dreaded being asked of him. The Captain closed his eyes and sighed lightly, before opening them and turning to the source of the question and hated himself for causing the devastation in the boys eyes when he shook his head.

"I do not think it my place." He reached out to pat the boy's cheek. "But I will most certainly bring it to your father's attention."

That seemed to placate the teenager before him some. "Would he…Would he _want _me?" And that was a question he could bring assurance to, Nisroc nodded. "I _know _he would." Jordon smiled at that knowledge, a similar smile to his fathers, and it made him smile in return. Both of their smiles, child and father, were contagious.

Him and Ava bumped fists lightly, and they turned off as the boy returned to selecting the arrows he wanted to purchase, and they walked slowly through the crowd until disappearing from his sight completely.

"Where do you stay, my young charge, when you aren't fighting in this war of yours?"

The girl at his side looked up at him with a smile. "Me and Iaso share a room in Anubis's temple." They turned without thought in the direction of the deity's home. "Do you want me to show you?"

"I would be more then happy to see anything of yours."

They walked down the main stone street towards the deity's temple, joking between each other in a soft humorous way, when there was a stillness that overcame the passing crowd and a dark growl echoed around them.

Ava stopped suddenly at his side, eyes widening. "I knew we were being followed but I never thought they'd actually get in."

"You were being _followed _and didn't think to _tell _me?"

She looked at him for a moment. "Not the time, Nis!" she turned in the direction that the growl had come from. "I think that was Anubis!"

"We _will _come back to that matter later." He nodded in agreement. "But I agree, that growl most certainly sounded like the Jackal."

…

The scuffle at the doors of his temple had interrupted the light bantering conversation they had been having between each other, and Anubis looked up to the wooden doors as they jolted inwards so suddenly, as though someone had been shoved up against them.

He held up a hand to stay both archangel and daughter when they both stood to see to whatever the source was, stepping slowly down from his throne to approach the doors, they jolted again, and on the second turn, the lock escaped the hatch and they opened inward. A body fell through the opening to the floor.

"He is a servant of Heaven." He knew that voice and felt his proverbial hackles raise as he approached, but refrained from attacking on sight, a good deity always put their people first, thus he knelt for his guard. "He will understand why the abominations must be watched closely." Yes, he knew that voice very well.

The three intruders dared enter his temple as though they had the right to be there. The tallest of their trio was looking around in awe of the sights he was uninvitedly witnessing. The other already had a weapon drawn, as though he presumed, he could take them on, and hope to beat them. And the last of their trio, the _seraph, _led them into his temple with the presumptuous air about him that he had the right to.

"Anubis."

Hearing his name on the tongue of that seraph made his blood boil, his inner Jackal howled in rage, calling to him as though he were some mere foot soldier to be ordered about.

But he knelt for his guard first. "Adofo, are you alright?"

His guard grasped his arm tightly, grunting as he was pulled to his feet, nodding at the inquiry of his wellbeing. Over the deity's shoulder he met the inquisitive eyes of the Healer and nodded once more.

"Anubis, you will take us to this Nephilim Capitol."

Adofo glared at the seraph, stepping away quickly as though he could feel his god's temper rising, Anubis was a passive deity, even tempered and quite nice to those who dwelled within his temple and outside of it, but his temper was as violent as a sandstorm in that it appeared so suddenly and so strongly.

"You come into _my _temple _uninvited_." The Egyptian went rigid, fists clenching at his sides, and his golden eyes flashed dangerously as he turned to gaze upon the seraph and his two humans. "Attack _my _people." He squared his shoulders and stood up straighter until he came to his full height. "And _think _that _you _can _order _me around?"

The seraph had the audacity to nod. "You are a servant of Heaven. I am an angel. It is in my right."

As if sensing the deity was quick in losing his violent temper, the Healer stood from his place on the throne behind him, his daughter standing just as quick.

"I am _nobodies _servant." The golden manacles began to glow around his wrists, his eyes brightening with them, as he turned to his god form. He grew in height, not by much, but he was definitely taller than the presumptuous seraph. His skin smoothed into silky black fur, his facial features taking on a more canine appearance, ears unfolding from his head and canine teeth glinting in the bright sun as he growled deeply. A staff appeared in his right hand, known as a was-scepter in the ancient city, a symbol of power, and he slammed it harshly into the stone floor of his temple. "I am a _god_."

"You will follow my command."

The two hunters wisely backed away as the looming form of the Egyptian god of death approached them as though he were a hunter stalking his prey.

_"I follow no one's command_."

He twirled his staff in a way that was done with ease, the weapon of power was an extension of himself and not a mere object and thrust the bottom into the seraphs stomach. Castiel bent at the impact, his breath leaving him at the attack, choking for a breath when a dark clawed hand curled around his neck and lifted him from his feet.

_"Especially yours."_

The shorter of the two hunters yelled an explicative, followed by his name, as he rushed forward with his blade of silver poised for a blow. The deity made to spin around, to catch him with his staff, like he had the angel in his grasp. Her appearance was so sudden, it caused him to blink in surprise, she ducked under his arm in her surge forward and bent at the right angle to catch the hunter in just the right way with her fist that she managed to knock him from his feet. A loud snap followed the impact of her fist and he knew that his jaw had broken from the force of it.

Iaso took a deep heaving breath, shoulders tense, as she held her fists up again in the event that the taller hunter came forward.

"Don't touch my _older brother_!"

The taller hunter made no indication that he was going to come forth, holding his hands up placatingly, and his soft urges of peace went ignored as the Nephilim turned to her adopted brother. Anubis in his true god form stood taller then anyone in the room, he was nearly seven and a half feet tall at least, and he looked down at her from over the seraph's struggling form.

"Lower him." She commanded of him, and he did as she asked, lowering the seraph into her reach. He smiled, as best as one could with a jackal head, when she pulled her fist back and punched him with enough force that his nose snapped upon impact. "That's for calling me an _abomination, _abomination!"

"Who called us an abomination?"

They looked surprised at the appearance of the Captain, Ava departing from his side to meet at her best friends.

Nisroc did not look pleased to hear such a name, crossing the threshold with all the strength and regality of a Captain of the Four Legions. "You cause more trouble then you are worth, _Castiel_, you would think to torture a fledgling and now to order a deity in their own temple." He stopped just at his side. _"To me."_

It was a simple command that was heard all the way up in Heaven, and within a blink of a moment bodies surrounded them, at the mere call of their Captain's word.

Ava turned to the one she recognized. "Haniel! He called your daughters abominations!"

The light hearted Power glowered in rage, breaking the line as he stepped forward, his daughters were the light of his world and he would stand for no one insulting them in such a manner. He stalked forward just as the Archangel set a calming hand on the Egyptians arm, urging him to release his grip, and as he was set to his feet, the Power appeared and punched him once in the stomach, knocking him forward and forcing the air from his lungs, and while in his bent position, he plowed his fist into the seraphs jaw to send him flying backwards into the floor.

Haniel loomed over him. "Don't you _ever _say that about my babies."

He stepped away as the seraph groaned under him, back to where he stood upon his arrival, no indication that any reprimand was in store for the Power that had stepped out of line. Nisroc looked down to the seraph on the floor and crossed his arms.

"Haniel, Abraxos, please escort our _friends _out."

The two Powers nodded, stepping out of line to escort the two hunters and drag their angel companion from the temple, Nisroc continued forward and curled his fingers around his charge's chin to turn her around to face him. His Powers turned to watch him, having never met the Nephilim he had taken as his own, only knowing her from his words.

"You knew they were following you and didn't _say_ anything?"

She shrugged, as though it was not a big deal, "Sure. I mean, we can take'em." She gestured to her friend, Iaso looked up from petting the Egyptians silky furred arm, took notice of the gesture being made, and turned back to petting her adopted sibling's arm once more. "Iaso broke his freaking nose."

The Captain smiled. "I don't doubt that you can handle them." Leaning forward to press his lips to her temple. "But you shouldn't have to."

Ava smiled, looking over his shoulder, and immediately tugged on his tunic.

"Nis! _Nis!_ He has the same eyes as Jordon!"

He chuckled and nodded. "I know." Taking her hand in the same manner they had when walking through the ancient city.

"Titus." his soldier straightened at his call, "There is someone I think you should meet."

…

Stopping only to his Nephilim's room to bid her a good night and ensure she got there safely, the two Powers walked down the sparse stone street towards the Nephilims temple under the direction of their young friend, oil street lamps illuminated the way for them, bringing them safely to the entrance of the grand temple.

Titus followed his Captain dutifully, though confused at the sudden adventure, he was curious as to where this adventure would lead him.

"Sir, it is not in my way to question you," he spared his Captain a glance as they walked up the winding steps to the third floor of the temple, "but where are we going?"

"The journey is more than worth it, my friend." Nisroc was counting the doors and didn't spare him the same glance he had been spared as they walked down the hall together.

They stopped at one in particular, the sound of soft music emanating from within bringing purchase to the promise that it's occupant would still be awake at this hour, the Captain smiled in a pleased manner and reached a hand up to knock on the smooth wooden door before them.

Footsteps sounded from withing, padding softly, indicating that the person was barefoot on the smooth stone flooring. The handle turned and a pair of bright blue eyes peered around the edge for a moment, as if checking to see who could be at his door, and recognition flashed within his bright eyes at the sight of the Captain.

Titus couldn't help but stare, the question he'd been prepared to ask once more dying on his lips, the boy before him looked familiar in a way that he could not place exactly.

"Hello, Nisroc." The boy's smile was familiar in a way that it caused something to turn within his head. But he couldn't place where he had seen it from. Bright blue eyes turned to look at him in nervous greeting, a flash of that smile was given to him, before all attention turned back to his Captain. "What brings you to my room?"

"Good evening, Jordon." Nisroc smiled in greeting, holding a hand out for him. "May I see your ring again?"

The Nephilim boy looked confused by the request, and a bit put off on giving the possession over but didn't dare disobey an angel requesting something of him. He nodded silently and let go of his door, curling his fingers around the ring on his fingers, and gently tugged it off to pass over to the elder.

Nisroc took the ring in hand and turned immediately to his left. "Titus, may I see your ring?"

He raised an eyebrow but made a similar gesture as the Nephilim as he pulled his own ring from his finger, handing it over without question. Looking down at them, the Captain smiled, and passed both back. The boy tried to put the ring back on his finger, but it was much too large for him, and he immediately looked down to it in question. Titus tried to put his back on, but it was much too small, and he too looked down to the one he'd been given.

"This looks like—"

"This is my—"

The elder Power smiled at their immediate reaction to look up at one another as their exclamations echoed in perfect sync and came to a silent halt in the same perfect sync, reaching out to pat the boy on the cheek, and Jordon looked to him in confusion.

"I told you I knew the seal in your ring." He gestured to the silent stricken Power next to him. "It belongs to him."

Jordon stared at him for a moment, as though his mind was struggling to comprehend what he was being told, and then he turned to stare at the one at his side.

The Power stared down at the small ring he held, he had only made one other, Salathiel had made it for him at his request. He'd given it to a woman in the Amazon's he'd met some time ago, she would be long gone at this time, but to see this ring again meant only one thing. And that thing was something he couldn't even begin to wrap his mind around.

"Where did you get this ring, boy?"

The Nephilim tilted his head to the side, clear distaste written over his features made it evident that he did not like being called by such a name, looking down at the larger ring he held in his own fingers.

"My mom gave it to me, Ingr—"

"Ingrid." Titus smiled at her name. "My Ingrid." He glanced up to the boy in front of him. "She found another?"

Jordon shook his head slightly. "Amazon's mate for life."

His hand slowly lowered as it dawned over him, his eyes widening in surprise, turning suddenly when a hand squeezed at his shoulder.

Nisroc smiled at him. "Congratulations brother." He nodded to the boy standing before them. "It's a boy."

Both Power and son stared at each other for a long silent minute. Jordon stepped to the side and opened his door wider.

"Do you want to come in?"

"I—Yes."

"Titus?"

The large Power halted at his Captain's command, turning to look at him over his shoulder. "Sir?"

"You are dismissed until the end of the week." Nisroc smiled at them as he turned to leave them for the night. "Spend time getting to know your son."

"Thank you, sir."


	11. Chapter 11

One Month Later:

When word had finally reached his ear that his charge had been hurt while off and fighting in their little squabble, he had been sent into a rage, wondering who would be brave enough to harm _his _adopted charge and not think that someone would come for her, he demanded to know who they were, even though none of them knew, wanting names and locations.

And, when none of those things could be provided, he dismissed himself to go see to her himself. He didn't trust those hunters and their angel friend as far as he could through them, and he was a very strong angel, and to have his charge left in their care while she was recovering sent chills down his spine.

"Ava?" He called out as he walked down the hallway in the bunker, heading in the direction of the library, "Ava, are you here?" There were voices coming from that direction, that is why he was heading in that direction. "My little Ava?"

He pushed the door open slightly, peering inside, the room was nearly baron, no one stood around looming over anyone, using the wound to their advantage. He opened the door a bit wider and saw the teenager he sought after sitting at a chair on the other side of the door, talking amiably with the Winchester mother, the only Winchester he had an inkling of respect for, as she wound bandages around the splint holding her wrist in place.

"Ava?"

Both of them turned at the sound of his voice, the bright blue eyes of his dear Nephilim shined brighter at his appearance, as he stepped into the room with them. Ava was quick in jumping to her feet. "Nis!" running around the chair and ramming into him in greeting, her arms curling around him tightly. He looked down, pressing a hand to the back of her head, his left arm curling around her lower back to pull her closer. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you had been involved in some trouble," he strokes his hand down the back of her head. "I came to see if you were alright."

"You came to check on me?" She looks up at him, pressing her chin against his chest, and smiles at him. "You like me that much?"

"I _love _you, and you know that, little Ava." He smiles down at her in kind. "Of course, I would come check on you."

She smiled again, turning to press her ear against his chest, listening to his heart beating under her. "I love you too, Nis."

The Power smiled down at her adoringly, stroking his fingers through her soft short hair, thanking the Winchester mother as she stepped around them, leaving the library to give them some privacy. Scratching at the back of her head lightly, he tugged her shoulder slightly, and she pulled back again. "What happened, my little Ava?"

"I jumped off a building."

His eyes widened in surprise, clearly not having come to expect that as a possibility, stilling the hand that stroked the back of her head. "You did _what_?"

"Jumped off a building, don't worry, I caught myself." She raises her bound arm. "That's how this happened."

Nisroc blinks in surprise, still. "You jumped off a building?"

"It was exhilarating." He knows she's smiling. His Nephilim is fearless. "I wanna do it again!"

"You are _not _doing it again."

"Why?" She giggles softly. "You gonna _catch_ me?"

"I _will _ground you."

Ava grinned, pressing her cheek against his chest, he felt her grin. "I could just disappear into the night."

"I'd hunt you down." He tugs lightly at her ear. "I'm rather difficult to evade."

"Okay, I won't do it again."

His chest rumbles when he chuckles at her submission. "What?" He scratches a finger behind her ear, and she giggles again. "Is my _daring _little Nephilim frightened she may be caught?"

"I'm not scared'a you!"

"You're not?" The Captain pokes at her side lightly and she tries to lean away from his hand. "I'm not doing my job right then."

She giggles, and whether it be from his poking at her side or his statement, he doesn't know, perhaps both. "You're too soft to be scary."

"I'm too _soft_?"

"Like a pillow." Ava presses herself closer. "A big, soft, fluffy pillow."

"Only for you."

"Only for me."

…

It was when the teenager sighed for the seventh time in a row, that the other shoe dropped, Dean Winchester glared at her from over his shoulder, leaning heavily over the map table, and was preparing to snap at her when he met the eyes of the one who had come up behind her silenced him with a single harsh glare. After all this time, coming to know the Power Captain rather well, he knew not to push him when it came to those that he was fond of enough to claim as his own.

Her eighth sigh was silenced by the strong arms that curled around her upper waist, pulling back into his chest behind him, and a bristled chin rested on her shoulder.

"What is the matter, my little Nephilim, you've been sighing with such anguish for some time now."

Nisroc had stayed with her, as much as he could, since she had become restricted from leaving the Bunker while her wrist healed, and she was happy he was there.

She made to sigh again, and he pressed his nose to the side of her neck, forcing a choked giggle from her. "Do _not _sigh again."

"I'm…I'm useless here!" She gesture to the map with her casted hand. "I should be out there fighting at her side! We're partners, for Grandpa's sake!"

"She is well protected with her uncle at her side." He swayed them from side to side. "Your focus should be on healing that arm of yours so that you man join her again."

"I could fight one-handed."

"You will _not_."

He felt her inhale and was quick to burrow into the side of her neck, she choked on her sigh before she could let it go, scrunching up as best as she could. "Nis, no!" She reached her good hand up and smacked at his face and he fell still as the hit, pulling away to look down at her as she looked up over her shoulder to meet his gaze.

Nisroc raises his eyebrows. "Did you just _strike_ me?"

"No." She nods her head slightly.

He hums. "Did you just _lie _to me, too?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Nis." She smiles up at him. "Are you hearing things in your old age?"

The Power quirked an eyebrow, "My age?" And bent swiftly to scoop her up from the floor. Ava shrieked, curling her arms around his neck, he was giant compared to her and the ground was so far away now. "You are only digging yourself a deeper grave, my little one."

Two could play at that game.

The Captain turned, catching the eyes of the Healer as he did, with his charge in his arms and they shared a brief smile.

They really did each other so much good. Him, more so for her, then the other way around.

They had all breathed a sigh of relief when the mighty Captain had claimed her as his own, taken her under his charge.

He carried her from the room, and when the door had securely clicked shut behind them, he buried his face back into her neck. The Nephilim child shrieked, fingers digging into his shoulder, scrunching up on herself like a turtle did when danger was sighted. She laughed lightly when he found a particularly sensitive spot under her ear and rubbed his nose into it, the youth tried to pull away, but he pulled her closer and she shrieked again when he pressed his lips to the spot he found.

"Yohohour beheheheard mahahahakes ihihit sohoho muhuhuch wororhohorse!"

Nisroc chuckles into her neck, sending tingles over the sensitive skin, and caused a bright squeak to escape her. "You _love_ my beard."

"I dohoho nohohhot!" She shrieks when he nuzzles his chin into the curve of her neck. "IhIhIhI'm gohohonnaahahaha shahahhahave ihihit ohoffofff!"

"I dare you to try." He kisses her neck lightly, an airy giggle elicited at the action, and he lets up for the moment. "I'd just use my wing, then." He manages to poke the side of her belly. "On that poor defenseless belly of yours." He kisses her cheek lightly. "Do you want me to show you what that would feel like?"

"Noho!" She giggles brightly. He chuckles and pulls away again. She settles against him, her dark head tucking into the side of his neck, resting lightly on his shoulder.

"Nis?" He hums in acknowledgement to her question. "Why'd you claim me?"

"Because I love you." The way the Power says it, with no hesitation, makes her smile slightly.

"Like…..Like you were my dad…?"

He smiles down at her, walking them towards the room that had been given to her when her departure was not made clear that it was not in the near future. "If that is what you want, then, yes."

Ava smiled, laying her head back down. "I'd like that." He shared the same smile, pushing the door open with his shoulder, he hefted her upwards as he approached the bed, and dropped her playfully on the bed. The Nephilim girl laughed, flailing about, falling limply on her own bed with her limbs laying askew. The Power Captain chuckles and sits on the edge of the bed, patting one of his hands over her belly. "You should be taking it easy while you can."

She gave a dramatic sigh and fell back, her eyes closing. "I can't just sit here!"

"Technically, you're laying here."

She opened one eye to glare at him in exaggeration. "You're not helping."

"My apologies," he curled his fingers into her left side and pulled her in close to him, digging the fingers into that side he'd captured, and she shrieked in laughter as she curled up on her side, her back pressing against the side of his right thigh. "Let me help."

A set of small fingers curled around his wrist, the other locked in the grasp of a thick plaster cast, and he chuckled at her vain attempt to free his hand from her tortured side. Being the nice angel that he was, he bowed to her desire, and moved his hand, burying it into her lower belly instead. She shrieked again.

"Nihihis!" She squirms under him. "Yohohohou're tohohoturing a crihiihihihiple!"

"I'm being mindful of your broken arm." He wraps his free fingers around her casted wrist and lifts it up and away, up over her head. "See, it's out of the way." He reaches up and digs a finger into the revealed underarm and her laughter intensified. "_Dahahahad!"_

He stops so suddenly, staring down at the Nephilim child that he had claimed as his own, and she slowly calmed down, giggling every so often, and turns to look back up at him. Her face is red, whether it be from the exertion from their playful moment or from the embarrassment from the proclamation, Nisroc didn't know.

Ava averts her gaze, though being claimed as she was by him, it was another thing to declare someone the title of being their parent. "I'm sorry for overstepping."

The Captain beds forward, his bristled chin brushing over her forehead as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "Don't be, I knew what I was doing when I claimed you, I am honored you would think of me as a father."

She smiles up at him, and he returns it in kind, laying next to her on the bed, he raises his arm when she tugs o his sleeve to curl under it so that she could rest her head on his chest.

"I love you, Nis…." She falls silent for a moment and he knows she is not sure of herself just yet. It's a big step to take. "I love you….dad…."

There's no hesitation when he responds. "I love you too, my young daughter."

The Nephilim, _his _Nephilim child, looks up at him from her position against his chest, and he looks down to meet her gave in kind. "Did you just….Did you just call me your daughter?"

He nods, exhaling softly, scratching lightly at the back of her head "Everyone deserves to have a family. Including you, little Ava. If I am to take the role of your _'father'_, then, I believe, that you would take the role as my _'daughter'_." He rubs their noses together. "Is that not what you wanted?"

She smiles up at him, a daughter smiling to her father, and kisses his nose softly. "It's _exactly _what I wanted." The teenager lays back down again, snuggling in close to get comfortable, and his arms tighten around her comfortingly. "I love you, dad."


End file.
